The California State University (CSU) recently announced the creation of the CSU Center for Transformational Educator Preparation Programs (CSU CTEPP). The center, opening this fall, will leverage the successes of the New Generation of Educators Initiative with a focus on recruiting, preparing and retaining Black, Indigenous and other teachers of color to serve California’s diverse students and families.

“The Center for Transformational Educator Preparation will ensure that CSU programs prepare quality teaching candidates who understand the importance of educational equity and are well equipped to engage in meaningful ways with their students,” said Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Ph.D., CSU assistant vice chancellor of Educator Preparation and Public School Programs.

“The ability to recruit, retain and prepare culturally responsive educators is critical to the success of students and the state. CSU CTEPP will allow us to continue and broaden our critical work with even greater impact.”

In the first phase, the center will open with four campuses that were part of the CSU’s Learning Lab to Close the Teacher Diversity Gap: Bakersfield, Humboldt, Northridge and San Luis Obispo. In the spring of 2022, there will be an application period to expand the center and add six additional campuses to begin working with CTEPP in fall 2022.

The creation of the CSU CTEPP was made possible through a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

CTEPP will support CSU campus and K-12 school district teams with three primary initiatives:

1. Transformation Lab (TLab). Teams will engage in self-assessments of their preparation programs, choose goals and work toward them with the guidance of improvement coaches at CSU’s Educator Quality Center.

2. Equity and Excellence Certification. Teams will participate in professional development culminating in a certification which both improves understanding of educational equity and builds theoretical and practical capacity to engage in anti-racism and equity work.

3. Transformative Teaching and Learning Community. Team members will network through virtual meetings, share content and be provided with curated resources.

Each year the CSU prepares more of California’s teachers than any other institution, and approximately 4% of all teachers prepared in the nation.