One answer may be creating teacher credentialing programs at community colleges in these counties. Although all nine teaching education deserts are not located near a university teacher preparation program, five are within 60 miles of a community college.
Fifteen Iowa community colleges last week signed the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee admission agreement with the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative, which aims to streamline the transfer process for Iowa community college and qualifying high school students to private four-year institutions.
It’s a shift that’s been fueled, in part, by a historically low unemployment rate for teenage workers as well as an uptick in wages across several sectors that don’t require a college degree.
In Arizona, Scottsdale’s high schools and community college are working to make college less intimidating, so more students complete degrees.
