Teacher’s union partners with university offering educators affordable graduate education
June 5
The state’s largest teacher’s union launched a new partnership that will allow educators to pursue affordable graduate education.
The Arizona Education Association (AEA) teamed up with Augustana University to offer no-cost graduate credits and union member educators can receive up to nine credits toward a master’s degree.
Augustana University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and offers more than 100 majors, minors and professional programs. The university is based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota offering classes on campus and online.
Educators can put the credits toward a Master of Arts in Teaching from Augustana University and pay as little as $450.
Through the program, microcredentials are free for union members and cost $75 for non-union members, along with a “$50 transcription fee to record the credential as graduate credit.” Additionally, nonunion educators can complete the nine-credit program for around the cost of $1,125, which is considered a low tuition rate.
Microcredentials are professional learning opportunities that award certification badges through 15-hour approved coursework. Currently, a few Arizona school districts allow microcredentials to go toward salary increase plans, performance plans and evaluations.
Some districts may require college credits, the new program allows educators to transfer microcredentials into graduate credits at an affordable cost.
“Arizona educators are brilliant, hard-working professionals who should be able to advance their education without going into debt,” Arizona Education Association President Marisol Garcia said in a press release.
Through the partnership teachers can obtain microcredentials in the following:
- Exploring New Perspectives and Approaches with AI (in partnership with Microsoft)
- Connecting Primary Sources & Technology for Formative Assessment (in partnership with the Library of Congress)
- Model with Mathematics (in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics)
- Activating Learning for American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Students (in partnership with the National Indian Education Association)
The AEA is the labor union for Arizona public school professionals that represents more than 22,000 employees including librarians, custodians, cafeteria workers, counselors and teachers.
“As underfunded school districts continue to scale back professional development opportunities, this partnership gives educators an affordable way to strengthen their practice and better serve students across Arizona,” Garcia said.
Reporting by “Arizona Horizon” Education Solutions Reporter Roxanne De La Rosa. Her role is made possible through grant funding from the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund and Report for America.
