Certification Central, state's first alternative educator preparation program, receives $200,000 from RAP-T
Sep. 13—MCVILLE, N.D. — A one-of-a-kind program in North Dakota focused on teaching future special educators recently received $200,000 from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction through the Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers.
Certification Central received the $200,000 in the third round of funding for RAP-T, as well as $100,000 during the first, allowing it to fund the education of 15 apprentices. Lynne Chalmers, a UND retiree and head of the licensure program at Certification Central, said there are five apprentices enrolled from the first round and eight from the third, so she is searching for two more. The unique nature of the program, she said, has helped it through the RAP-T.
"We don't have to go by all the rules, regulations and politics of the university, which I really love," she said.
Certification Central is the first alternative educator preparation program in North Dakota, offering a competency-based and self-paced online program focused on training teachers in special education. It was founded in 2020.
According to Chalmers, "competency-based" means students are scored on the level of quality on assignments, and must redo them if they don't meet a certain level. CEO Katherine Terras said the goal is for the program to be authentic to what teachers will have to do in the field. She has worked with teachers to develop assignments that are based on performance and proficiency.
The program is self-paced so students who are also working can complete assignments on their own time, and those who want an accelerated education don't have to wait for a next semester to continue their education. These traits made Certification Central a good fit for RAP-T, Terras said.
"Our program is practice-based and, with a heavy emphasis on what's being learned while you earn, what you are learning on the job," she said. "So it was just a natural fit for us with what the requirements were."
Terras came up with the idea for Certification Central as she saw a changing landscape of higher education. Taking her personal worldview into account, she felt the national trends were starting to shift from what she believed were the best practices for training educators, she said. She founded Certification Central with her husband and COO, Mark Reinhart, and got it accredited through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. While it was a unique process due to the program's nature, it was an easy one, she said. Organizations and school districts across the state have been receptive to it.
There are about 100 students a year in the program, which offers multiple tracks.
"Rather than saying that we offer these courses or these modules, and you have to take all those lessons that are within those courses or modules, we want to drill down and allow students to build their courses by selecting the lessons and topics that are most relevant to their professional development needs," Tarras said.
The work at Certification Central, Terras said, wouldn't be possible without the help of Chalmers and Jenni Sateren, the Special Education Technician Program director. Chalmers was Terras' mentor, and Sateren one of her masters students before Certification Central. Terras said she's blessed to have both helping her.
"Here's this most beautiful web that was already put into place and orchestrated before Certification Central ever was a concept," she said.
Chalmers became involved after she retired from UND for a couple of years. Terras reached out and asked for help, and Chalmers said she was hooked from there.
"I'm extremely proud of her," Chalmers said. "I came out of retirement literally to work with this program. I believe in it so strongly."
