Campus News

March 20th, 2026

GC, GCPS partnering on teacher education

New '1+1' program sets up students for early associate's degree

Garrett College and Garrett County Public Schools are partnering on a "1+1" initiative that will provide local students the opportunity to complete associate degree programs in teacher education in an accelerated time frame.

Students in the program, which starts this fall, will be part of the College's teacher education cohort as high school seniors. They will then complete their associate degree in the year following high school graduation.

"The advantage is we're able to provide programming and opportunities we wouldn't be able to provide on our own," said Paul Edwards, GCPS director of secondary education. "Providing greater opportunities for kids – that's what we're all about."

Professor Christa Bowser, Garrett College's chief academic officer, said students will be able to choose from among six teacher education pathways. The program includes four Associate of Arts concentrations – secondary education, elementary education, early childhood education, and health/physical education – as well as Associate of Arts in Teaching pathways in elementary/special education and early childhood/early childhood special education.

"I am so excited to have those students in our classes," said Dr. John Taylor, professor of education at Garrett College, referring to the GCPS students. "One of the benefits for these students is they'll be in the public schools working with students from the first education course they take. We provide ample opportunities for them to get hands-on experience."

Edwards said the program is likely to start out with a small number of students, but that isn't a barrier since GCPS participants will be part of a larger College cohort.

"What may start out as two, three, or four students could easily grow to eight or 10 in a year or two as students and parents realize the opportunity that's available," Edwards said.

The pathways permit students to take a one-credit First-Year Experience (FYE) college course as high school sophomores and one or two General Education courses, depending upon the pathway selected, as juniors. Bowser said the semester-by-semester plan, including specific courses taken each semester, provides students with a clear road map to an associate degree.

"We'd like to get information about this program in the hands of eighth-graders and their parents so that we can show how this plan can fit into each student's future," added Bowser.

Dr. Taylor noted that Garrett County Scholarship Program funding covers virtually all of the cost of the students' associate degrees.

"This gives students a chance to get two years of free education, in addition to all of the other benefits of the program," said Dr. Taylor.

Edwards said the program has the potential to help address a teacher shortage that is projected to get worse down the road, both locally and nationally.

"We're going to be faced with an exodus of experienced teachers over the next five or six years," said Edwards. "There are going to be more vacancies than we can fill. Anything we can do to develop and support aspiring teachers will be helpful."