College warranties new teachers

Dear 49ers:

I encourage all of you who have come to Cal State Long Beach to study to be teachers and all of you who are undecided on majors but are considering teaching, to contact the College of Education. As many of you are aware, there is a serious demand for qualified teachers in California's public schools at all levels, especially in the areas of math and science. In every discipline, the demand for qualified teachers is more pressing than ever.

Teaching is a wonderful career. Cal State Long Beach has a strong teacher education program, headed by a distinguished and committed faculty. Because the College of Education is so confident in the quality of its teacher education program, it provides a warranty.

The Teacher Warranty Program is an added component to the university's commitment to excellence. It is our way of demonstrating to our newly prepared teachers and to their employing school districts that we stand behind the teachers we have educated. At CSULB, any first-year teacher in the university's traditional service area may contact the College of Education to request assistance.

The teacher must hold the preliminary credential from the university and be assigned to a position for which he or she is credentialed. After initial contact by the teacher or principal, our faculty will meet with the school district representative and the new teacher to determine whether there is in fact a need for support and, if so, to develop for the new teacher an individualized plan of assistance. This service will be free to the new teacher and to the school district.

The College of Education believes that this continuing commitment to provide support to first-year teachers is its responsibility to school district partners and to the new teachers whom they employ. This type of support will help ensure a better quality of education for the students who attend our public schools.

If you wish to take a moment to explore the teaching profession, there is a recruitment center on campus called CalTeach, the California Center for Teaching Careers. If you would like to review the diverse teaching opportunities that we have to offer, just stop by the CalTeach center located in LA1-212 or call 562/985-4966.

Go BEACH!
– Robert C. Maxson, President