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Otterbein Receives Grant for COELEC Project
Otterbein University is set to play a pivotal role in enriching the educational process of central Ohio English language learners and their teachers. Otterbein recently received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for $373,537 for the Central Ohio English Learner Education Collaborative (COELEC) project.

“Thirty current and future teachers in the Central Ohio English Learner Education Collaborative (COELEC) have the opportunity to enroll free of charge in the Summer Academy. They are given the opportunity to gain five graduate credits’ worth of high-quality courses designed to increase their understanding and prepare them to work with English language learners,” explained Sue Constable, education department chair and Principal Investigator on the grant. “They will also tutor a PK-12 English language learner for a minimum of 10 hours. As a result, PK-12 English language learners in the central Ohio area will receive over 300 hours of tutoring.”

According to Constable, the project is open to any central Ohio school district that has a population of English learners. Though grant-related preferences are given to middle and high school level teachers and those that teach math and science, all teachers are welcome to apply.

An additional aspect of the grant involves two Career Ladder programs, offered specifically to adults for whom English is not their first language. The first opportunity is for adults who have a high school diploma and wish to work as education paraprofessionals. They may earn up to 80 college credits, tuition free, and be qualified to work as paraprofessionals in central Ohio public schools.

Adults who already have an Associate’s degree or higher may receive stipends to cover the cost of completing a Bachelor’s degree with teaching licensure. They may also earn up to 80 college credits, tuition free toward meeting requirements to become licensed as teachers in the state of Ohio.

Otterbein teacher education professors will also benefit from the COELEC grant by receiving financial support to participate in a three-year course of study to prepare undergraduates to meet the needs of English learners in the PK-12 classroom.

According to Rosalinda B. Barrera, assistant deputy secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition, the project will play an integral role in meeting the goal of preparing English learners for future success. “It’s critical for our English learners to have access to high-quality instruction in all subjects that will prepare them for success in college, the workplace and our global economy.”

Otterbein’s Department of Education is committed to providing a coherent teacher education program that integrates academics with practical experience. Offerings include: BSE (Bachelor of Science in Education undergraduate degree); MAE (Master of Arts in Education for licensed teachers); MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching for those desiring a master’s program including licensure); MAEM (Master of Arts in Educational Mathematics for AYA licensed teachers or community college math teachers); Post-Baccalaureate teacher licensure (for those who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree and wish to be licensed to teach). In addition, educators turn to Otterbein for professional development, endorsements, and additional licensure areas.

For more information, visit www.otterbein.edu.