{"id":199703,"date":"2024-06-21T12:50:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T22:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=199703"},"modified":"2024-06-21T16:58:34","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T02:58:34","slug":"sped-degrees-leeward-cc-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/06\/21\/sped-degrees-leeward-cc-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"Special education degrees made possible through Leeward CC<\/abbr> partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Group
Evelyn Utai at Special Olympics event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A unique Leeward Community College<\/a> partnership has made it possible for many working professionals in the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Education (HIDOE) to pursue special education (SPED) licensure through a flexible, self-paced model.<\/p>\n

The 3+1 online program through Leeward CC<\/abbr>\u2019s teacher education program<\/a> allows a candidate to earn a bachelor of science in SPED by completing three years at Leeward CC<\/abbr> (or equivalent) and the final year at Chaminade University. Through online asynchronous delivery, and funding through HIDOE, the program has resulted in a 90% retention rate of working candidates since its inception in 2017 with a vast majority remaining employed as SPED teachers in local public schools.<\/p>\n

To date, 29 Leeward CC<\/abbr> students have graduated through the 3+1 online program, and there are 77 Leeward CC<\/abbr> students currently in the 3+1 bachelor of science in SPED pathway.<\/p>\n

Life-changing opportunities<\/h2>\n
\"Graduate
Utai at Leeward CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recent graduate Evelyn Utai, an educational assistant at Farrington High School, was born and raised in Kalihi. She has always had a passion for her community, and a desire to serve students with special needs. Early in her career, she and her coworkers created a “friends program” for special needs and non-special needs students to meet and interact during lunch. “The general education students\u2019 (including all-star athletes) lives ended up being changed more than the special ed students,” Utai said.<\/p>\n

She wanted to do more for the SPED students, and this motivated her to attend online classes for a bachelor\u2019s degree, while still working in the classroom. The 3+1 program also allowed her to count her associate\u2019s degree from Windward CC<\/abbr> toward her requirements for the bachelor\u02bbs degree. This enabled her to finish the program in half the time.<\/p>\n

\"Group
Farrington High School students from Friends Program meeting Jesse Sapolu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Utai said she wouldn\u2019t have been able to pursue her degree without funding provided by a 3+1 program grant. In May, Chaminade recognized her as the 2024 outstanding graduate, and she credits both Chaminade and Leeward CC<\/abbr> for providing the support that enabled her to achieve this milestone. Now Utai hopes to get a position as a special education teacher and do more to get SPED students involved and out in the community.<\/p>\n

“To my Leeward ʻohana,” Utai said, “fa’afetai tele lava<\/a> (thank you in Samoan) for believing in this suga (girl), and I hope I make you guys proud because you made me feel so special.”<\/p>\n

—By Tad Saiki<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Educational assistant aims to become a special education teacher with help from Leeward CC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[65,933,71],"class_list":["post-199703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-teacher-education","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t