Urban Teacher Partnership — Focus Secondary Teacher Preparation
in High-Need Urban Schools

Since 2004, Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) has been engaged in a comprehensive effort to prepare secondary education teachers to effectively serve the educational needs of uban middle and high school students. Through the Urban Teacher Partnership (UTP), MSCD and the Denver Public Schools (DPS), linked the college's teacher preparation program with the district's curriculum in four content areas: math, science, English and social studies. In addition, as part of this two-year preparation program, UTP pre-service students conduct 180 hours of field experiences (including classroom observations, small group teaching, one-on-one tutoring, test monitoring, and other teacher practices) in high-needs urban middle and high schools across the district prior to their semester-long student teaching assignments. Recent external evaluations of the UTP program indicate success, especially in providing developing teachers early exposure to large urban school and student communities, classroom conditions and teaching practices. Additionally, the experiences and relationships that pre-service students established with school personnel enhanced their understanding of the educational needs of children and created opportunities for teaching in urban schools.

Center for Urban Education - Using Teacher Effectiveness to Increase the Achievement of Our Neediest Children

In 2008, Metro State faculty and DPS teachers began a design process to develop the Center for Urban Education (CUE). As part of CUE development, collaborative teams analyzed the UTP program with a focus on how our programmatic role to prepare urban teachers could ensure the educational success of children in the highest needs schools. The design group suggested that we begin with a pilot program to prepare urban teachers in one area of the city (the northwest sector of DPS) and a consortium of “feeder” schools that we are calling the P-16 Zone for Student Achievement. The proximity of the Northwest neighborhood to our campus and a concentrated geographical environment allows Metro faculty and pre-service students to work in close collaboration with leaders, teachers and students in the schools and across community-based organizations. During a full year residency program, students will build the knowledge and pedagogical skills to effectively teach in high-need schools, as well as develop strategies to ensure the educational success of the school's children as they develop and matriculate - early learning, elementary, middle, high school and into and through college. 

The Center for Urban Education (CUE) will be officially launched in Fall 2010. Following a five-year pilot program, we will expand our efforts to develop P-16 Zones in other urban communities across the Denver metropolitan area.