Success Through Education Program
| Initiative: | Success Through Education Program |
| University: | UH-Clear Lake |
| Focus: | Urban/Minority Education |
Description and Justification
The Success Through Education Program (STEP) is a teacher education project comprised of special academic programs and comprehensive support services that guide students through a seamless track from high school to community college to UH-Clear Lake, culminating in a college degree, teacher certification, and employment in local school districts. This program works to enable disadvantaged and low-income students to pursue a four-year degree and certification toward professional employment and to increase the number of minority and other teachers in local school districts. The pilot STEP program has proven effective. Built into the program is the machinery that helps students overcome risk factors that often lead them to failure. Evaluation considers student graduation and certification, transfer, professional placement, achievement, and employer satisfaction. STEP has experienced strong growth. For example, 14 students were enrolled in the program at Galveston Ball High School in 1993, the program's first year. By 2002, there were nearly 600 students participating in the program at all three levels, with 160 of these on the UHCL campus. This program has graduated 126 certified students since its inception. To date, UHCL has established partnerships with six high schools in four school districts and four community colleges. The most recent addition to the program has been approved by Houston ISD, with Austin High School, and Houston Community College-Southeast. Funding provides for academic and faculty advising, program management, student financial support, professional development, field and related activities for students and the expansion of the program into other school districts and community colleges.
The state is faced with critical shortages of teachers in a variety of teaching fields; school districts also are desirous of having a teaching force that reflects the demographics of the student population. This program is designed to assist with the resolution of these deficiencies in our immediate service area and to validate the STEP program as a model for addressing such needs statewide.
Funding Request
$400,000 per fiscal year
