Western Illinois University, Highland Community College Partner to Address Teacher Shortage
MACOMB/Moline/FREEPORT, IL – Western Illinois University and Highland Community College (HCC) in Freeport recently signed an agreement to create an education pathway from high school through college for HCC students to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with WIU.
The agreement provides the opportunity for Freeport-area students to begin the Elementary Education Pathway at high schools via dual credit, complete an Associate of Arts Degree at Highland and then complete the Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education from WIU on Highland’s campus. Students who have already completed their associate’s degree are also eligible for this pathway to education.
“We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Highland Community College. Together, we are committed to bringing outstanding opportunities to students and providing them with the tools for a successful future,” said WIU President Guiyou Huang. “This agreement will have lasting, positive impact for your students, and we are pleased to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding with Highland Community College.”
HCC BOT Chair Jim Endress, HCC President Chris Kuberski and WIU President Guiyou Huang.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, currently, there are 1,984 unfilled teaching positions. Thirty of these vacancies are in Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson and Whiteside counties.
“By creating this partnership with WIU and local high schools, Highland provides students the opportunity to complete their coursework and student teaching without leaving the region. The pathway program is a true ‘grow your own’ approach to identifying qualified teachers who will invest their talents within the region,” said HCC President Chris Kuberski.
Western’s teacher education program is dedicated to partnerships to expand the number of teachers in Illinois,” said WIU College of Education Dean Francis Godwyll.
“It is critical that our partnerships with K–12 institutions and our sister community colleges go beyond an instructional relationship. A partnership should enable all parties to come to the table with their strengths, capitalize on their synergies and collaborate to accomplish shared institutional goals,” Godwyll said. “These are at the core of this partnership that brings partners from high schools, school districts, community colleges and our University together to cultivate our students as early as they identify an interest in becoming an educator. We are excited about the possibilities that await these students thanks to our partnership with HCC.”
Western has had academic partnerships in place with HCC for nearly a decade.
“We are extremely excited about this new partnership with Highland Community College. This program will help us grow our own educators, which is critical as we work to address the teacher shortage throughout Illinois,” said WIU Provost Martin Abraham.
Area high school students should talk to their school counselor about the HCC dual credit education pathway program. The education pathway program is also available to graduating seniors and adult students
