Teacher Licensure/Certification Coordinator & Advisor

Worcester Polytechnic Institute•Worcester, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Teacher Licensure Coordinator for the STEM Education Center is a vital team member that will coordinate the development, implementation, and growth of multiple teacher licensure pathways at WPI that expand access to STEM teaching careers and address STEM teacher shortages. Working collaboratively with WPI academic departments, K-12 public school districts, community college partners, and other stakeholders, this position will strengthen recruitment pathways, develop new licensure and graduate program opportunities, and create experiences that encourage students and professionals to pursue STEM teaching careers. The Coordinator will also help advise potential and current students in the Center’s teacher education programs.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Education, STEM Education, Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
Experience in educator preparation, teacher licensure, PK–12 education, higher education, or workforce development.
Experience with enrollment management, recruitment strategies, and program development.
Demonstrated experience developing partnerships across educational institutions and community organizations.
Experience managing complex projects and initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with teacher preparation and licensure programs.
Knowledge of Massachusetts DESE licensure requirements and approval processes.
Experience working with community colleges, transfer pathways, and PK–12 partnerships.
Experience with advising students on different possible program and career paths, as well as specific requirements for academic programs.

Responsibilities

Participate in the team effort on the design, planning, and implementation of an Accelerated Post-Baccalaureate (APB) licensure program.
Design program structures that enable candidates to complete licensure requirements within one academic year.
Develop partnerships with school districts to create paid internship and residency opportunities that allow candidates to earn licensure while gaining classroom experience.
Conduct market analysis and feasibility studies, including enrollment projections, workforce demand, resource requirements, revenue potential, and competitive benchmarking.
Identify and engage prospective student populations, including current WPI students, graduate students, alumni, career changers, and interested master's students.
Develop program budgets, cost structures, and sustainability plans.
Coordinate institutional and state approval processes, including preparation for Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) informal review and approval.
Create recruitment, advising, and student support systems for APB participants.
Develop partnerships with districts to support paraprofessionals, emergency-license holders, long-term substitutes, and other educator candidates seeking licensure.
Explore and develop new graduate degree options in STEM Education and teacher licensure including graduate certificates, and a MAT program.
Conduct feasibility analyses related to market demand, program costs, enrollment potential, and district partnerships.
Develop innovative models, including internship-based programs, that reduce barriers to graduate enrollment and licensure completion.
Collaborate with academic and administrative stakeholders on program design, implementation, and approval processes.
Develop models that increase flexibility and participation in STEM teacher preparation programs across academic disciplines.
Collaborate with WPI STEM departments to develop discipline-specific pathways that integrate teacher preparation experiences into undergraduate and graduate degree programs (e.g., BS/MS).
Work with departments to identify curriculum structures that allow education coursework to count toward graduate degree requirements where appropriate (e.g., directed research, project work, capstones)
Work with Center colleagues to support a Professional Learning Community
Develop and strengthen transfer pathways from Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and other community colleges into WPI’s Teacher Preparation Program (TPP).
Maintain and expand relationships with QCC leadership, transfer personnel, and STEM faculty partners.
Explore and establish transferable, dual-credit, and course-substitution pathways related to teacher preparation requirements.
Develop opportunities for transfer students to engage in pre-practicum experiences.
Investigate summer pathway programs, internships, and scholarship-suported experiences that support teacher preparation.
Create and implement recruitment strategies targeting community college students interested in STEM teaching.
Collaborate with WPI admissions and transfer teams to promote STEM teaching pathways and teacher preparation opportunities.
Build connections with Worcester Public Schools and local high schools to create awareness of teaching careers and transfer opportunities (e.g., WPS-QCC-WPI).
Partner with Worcester Public Schools and regional organizations to promote STEM teaching as a high-impact STEM profession.
Develop and implement innovative programs that introduce middle school and high school students to teaching careers.
Create opportunities for students to experience and explore teaching through mentorship, tutoring, classroom experiences, and service-learning activities.
Support and expand STEM-focused afterschool, enrichment, and outreach initiatives that expose students to teaching pathways.
Build sustainable “grow your own” educator pipelines that increase diversity and participation in STEM teaching careers.
Build strategic partnerships that support teacher recruitment, preparation, and licensure, goals.
Track program outcomes, enrollment trends, and partnership effectiveness.
Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for institutional leadership.
Identify external funding, grant opportunities, and partnership resources that support pathway development and program growth.