ESU collaboration wins national award
Emporia State University
Originally published 02:17 p.m., February 1, 2008
Updated 02:18 p.m., February 1, 2008
A collaboration that turns placebound students into elementary school teachers with Emporia State University degrees has won national recognition.
The Teachers College at Emporia State University will receive the Best Practice Award for Collaboration with Community Colleges at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education annual meeting Thursday in New Orleans.
The award recognizes outstanding collaboration between teacher education programs and community colleges.
This year’s award is for Emporia State ‘s collaboration with Butler Community College in El Dorado to create the Butler and Emporia from Students to Teachers, or BEST, program. The program was developed in early 2004, when representatives from Butler and ESU met to devise a way that students in and around El Dorado could earn their teaching degrees without leaving their home areas.
Through BEST, students complete a two-year associate of arts degree from Butler and then continue on the Butler campus to earn a bachelor of science in elementary education from ESU. Butler’s faculty teach the general education courses required for admission to the ESU elementary teacher preparation program. Emporia State provides faculty from both the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and The Teachers College for classes, advising, supervision and technology for the classroom and academic success lab.
“This award is tremendous recognition for the efforts our faculty and faculty and administrators at BCC to make the BEST program a reality at Butler,” said Tes Mehring, dean of The Teachers College at ESU.
Currently, 61 students are in the process of earning their elementary education degrees.
“Most of them upon graduation will seek employment at an elementary school within a 50-mile radius of El Dorado ,” said Mehring, demonstrating the program’s significant contribution to the area’s pool of elementary school teachers.
ESU officials credit the collaborative relationship with Butler Community College for the program’s success.
“It provides access to students who otherwise would not be able to complete an education degree, and it helps meet the needs of school districts in that area of Kansas ,” notes Michael R. Lane, ESU president. “The faculty, staff and administration at BCC have been very supportive of the program’s success.”