Claflin Signs MOU for Project Pipeline Repair: Restoring Minority Male Participation and Persistence in Educator Preparation Programs

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed today (April 19) to signal Claflin’s participation in Project Pipeline Repair: Restoring Minority Male Participation and Persistence in Educator Preparation Programs, an initiative of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO). The project is made possible by a generous three-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to engage state policy leaders and educator preparation programs.

The partnership described in this MOU is judged important by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Claflin University, and SHEEO in preparing minority male teachers to meet the needs of increasingly diverse P-12 schools.

Executives and administrators from other agencies participating in the partnership including the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, South Carolina Department of Education and the Project Pipeline Repair Steering Committee will also attend.

WHERE: Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 3 p.m.
Claflin University Trustees Board Room
Tingley Hall, Second Floor
400 Magnolia Street
Orangeburg, S.C.

WHO: 
Henry Tisdale, President, Claflin University
Karl Wright, Provost and Vice Chancellor, Claflin University
Dr. Nicole Strange-Martin, Dean School of Education, Claflin University
Jeff Schilz, Interim President and Executive Director, South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
John Lane, Director of Academic Affairs, South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
Denise Pearson, SHEEO Principal Policy Analyst and Project Director
Molly Spearman, Superintendent, South Carolina Department of Education
LaMecko Magee, Project Pipeline Repair Steering CommitteeEducator Preparation Program Faculty Educator Preparation Program School Partners Educator Preparation Program Faculty Educator Preparation Program School Partners

WHY: The intent of this MOU is to establish activities, roles and responsibilities to increase the number of highly competent minority male teachers to teach in underserved elementary school systems in South Carolina. Key project features include early enrollment of prospective educators as students during junior year of high school; formative and summative performance assessments; individualized intervention strategies to close achievement gaps; supplemental self-paced learning platforms using appropriate instructional technologies; mentoring and academic advising; and completion of college credits prior to enrolling in higher education.

Project Pipeline Repair will achieve outcomes through emphasis on skill development in the areas of written and oral communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and quantitative literacy, which are among the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ six essential learning outcomes. In addition to closing academic achievement gaps, the project aims to foster the building of a strong foundation for participants to begin developing the requisite desire, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of highly competent and effective educators.