Kern Master’s Upskill Program launches new English cohort
Successful dual enrollment teacher program
awarded funding for 15 more high school teachers
To schedule an information session: individual OnDemand appointments
BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications Coordinator
The success of the Kern Master’s Upskill Program has resulted in the creation of an additional English cohort of 15 slots that will begin in March 2025 – meaning more Kern high school teachers can obtain funding to earn a master’s degrees qualifying them to instruct dual enrollment courses at Kern County high schools as well as to become adjunct community college instructors.
The program by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, in partnership with the Kern Regional K-16 Education Collaborative through the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS), provides eligible high school teachers with a grant and tuition reduction through two consortium members: Fresno Pacific University offers a Master’s degree in Mathematics education and National University offers a Master’s degree program in English.
For this new fourth cohort, English Single Subject credential holders who are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in Rhetoric can receive a $14,400 grant from the Kern K16 Collaborative and CVHEC and a $3,978 (20%) “employee tuition reduction” per student because of National University’s partnership with CVHEC.
Jessica Gladney, program coordinator for National, said interested high school English teachers may learn more about the program and apply by attending information sessions available through individual OnDemand appointments to fit their own schedule.
Additionally, mentors are assigned to each of the 15 students to counsel them during the course of their postbaccalaureate degree studies as well as help access adjunct hiring pools at the local community colleges.
The Kern Master’s Upskill Program is part of an $18 million statewide competitive grant in June 2022 to improve student progress from high school to postsecondary education and ultimately into the workforce under KCSOS, which serves as the administrative agent for the Kern K-16 Collaborative.
CVHEC was awarded $1.7 million to produce, over three years, up to 100 qualified dual enrollment teachers to teach English and Math. Tom Burke, a CVHEC regional coordinator and chancellor-emeritus of the Kern Community College District, was appointed the consortium’s Kern Masters Upskilling Program lead.
Burke recently reported that in the past academic year since the Kern program’s inception, 48 students earned their master’s degrees: 32 English master’s degrees have been conferred in three cohorts to date with nine still in progress and 16 math master’s degrees have been conferred from the first of three cohorts. (In the math program, cohort two currently has 11 students on course to graduate in May 2025 while cohort three commenced this current fall semester with 22 master’s candidates scheduled to complete requirements in spring 2026).
He added that this newly-funded fourth Kern English cohort, combined with the first three, will increase the number of high school teachers with a English master’s degree in Kern County by 56, just a little over half of the intended goal.
“We are appreciative that the Kern K-16 recognizes the success and value of CVHEC’s Master’s Upskill Program that inevitably supports dual enrollment opportunities for our students and professional advancement for our high school teachers,” said Burke.
KCSOS spokesperson Kimberly Graham said Kern K-16 approved the additional funding for the CVHEC Upskilling project “to support the formation of an additional cohort because it addresses limitations the first three cohorts faced in achieving maximum participant outcomes.”
She calls it a strategic move because increasing the number of qualified high school teachers who can teach dual enrollment English courses aligns with the overarching goal of the Kern K-16 program as well as a long-term strategy for educational equity and success in the region.”
“The Kern K-16 program aims for greater educational access and equity, and the continued investment in the CVHEC project will support this by upskilling teachers and expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students,” said Graham who is the chief leadership support officer for the KSOS Local, Regional and Statewide Systems of Support.
“Adding a fourth English cohort contributes to the educational development of the region by preparing students for college-level coursework earlier in their educational paths.”
She added that by collaborating with National University, the project ensures that high school teachers receive flexible and rigorous online master’s degree programs, making them eligible to teach at the community college level.
The consortium has also implemented the program in two Central Valley K-16 regions: the Fresno/Madera K-16 Collaborative where the program was first launched in 2021 with a $1,830,500 grant and this fall with the WE Will! K-16 Collaborative in the North Valley under two $400,000 state grants.
It includes the CVHEC Mentor Program pairing each enrolled high school teacher with an English or math professor from a local community college district to help navigate the process to becoming an adjunct community college faculty member and provide other support along the way.
In Kern, the Mentor Program coordinators are Dr. Liz Rozell (math) and Dr. Vikash Lakhani (English). Burke said the program is currently recruiting for math mentors. English mentors will be recruited in the spring. They receive a $2,000 stipend.
For questions about enrollment, please contact Jessica Gladney at jgladney@nu.edu or 310.968.5805.
For questions about CHVEC and its Master’s Mentor Program, Burke may be contacted at tburke5@att.net.
See:
· Kern Master’s Upskilling Program: 2nd cohort graduates – next cohort recruitment underway
- CVHEC Teacher Upskilling Program for Master’s Degrees Supports Dual Enrollment in South Valley via Kern K-16 Collaborative Grant (June 23, 2022)
- Rozell, Lakhani Named CVHEC’s Kern Faculty Mentor Coordinators (February 22, 2023)
- CVHEC IN THE NEWS: KBAK features Kern Master’s Upskill Program (November 17, 2022)
- Tom Burke Named Kern Master’s Upskill Lead (November 16, 2022)
- Herrera to Head Kern Regional K-16 Education Collaborative (July 13, 2022)
- Kern WORKFORCE GRANT – 2022
- Kern To Receive Nearly $18.1 Million To Enhance Educational Collaborative Efforts And Create Occupational Pathways For Local Students
- KCSOS Mary Barlow Announces $18.1M Workforce Grant (KCSOS press release – June 9, 2022)
- “Blurring the Lines Between High School and College: Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley”(CVHEC video – March 2022)
