SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union supports successful education program at CSU Long Beach
Credit Union funding supports student teacher mentorship and training at CSULB College of Education
TUSTIN, CA (September 13, 2024) — SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, today announced that its ongoing partnership with the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) College of Education has achieved solid results in recent years for its evidence-based, multifaceted program to mentor and train teachers to ensure they are modeling the best teaching techniques for their students. The SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Preparing the Next Generation Educator Clinical Practice Infrastructure Program helps prepare teachers for success both before and during their critical semester or year-long student teaching experience.
Supported by funding from SchoolsFirst FCU, the program’s key components include:
- Urban Dual Credential Program (UDCP) Mentor Teacher Orientation and Evaluation Training, which introduces mentor teachers to the unique requirements of UDCP and provides an opportunity for mentor teachers to learn how to best support candidates.
- Multiple Subject Credential Program (MSCP), which includes student teaching bootcamps at the beginning of each semester to provide teachers with an in-depth orientation to the expectations for classroom management, lesson design, lesson delivery and professionalism, as well as a mentor teacher orientation/institute that provides mentor teachers with an overview of the MSCP program and what they can and should expect from their student teachers.
- Mentor Teacher Summer Day at the Beach, a special event to thank mentor teachers for their service with a high-quality professional development conference session and a reception at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the CSULB campus.
- Single Subject Credential Program, designed to prepare candidates to teach the specific subject(s) named on the credential in departmentalized schools, which included nine subject workshops and orientations for spring student teachers with a focus on successful hybrid teaching, held in the fall of 2023.
On average, during the first several years of the program, the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Preparing the Next Generation Educator Clinical Practice Infrastructure Program has provided support for more than 950 participants each year, including almost 400 mentor teachers and more than 550 student teachers each year.
“We are grateful for the support we have received from SchoolsFirst FCU,” said Anna Ortiz, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education at CSULB. “It has enabled us to provide professional learning to those who support our student teachers: cooperating/mentor teachers in the schools, university supervisors/mentors and our faculty. We have made significant inroads in advancing the capacity of our student teachers to implement culturally responsive instruction and have created feedback tools to give student teachers what they need to be successful when they enter their own classrooms on Day 1.”
“CSU Long Beach has done a phenomenal job creating an evidence-based clinical practice model that is highly effective at preparing teachers to teach,” said Josh Smith, vice president school and community relations at SchoolsFirst FCU. “We are proud to support an effort that benefits teachers at multiple levels and instills excellence in the classroom.”
About SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union serving school employees, and once again Forbes has named SchoolsFirst FCU the top credit union in California. Serving school employees and their families, the organization is dedicated to delivering World-Class Personal Service and improving the financial lives of its Members. Today they serve more than 1.4 million Members with a full range of financial products and services. SchoolsFirst FCU was founded in 1934, when 126 school employees pooled $1,200 and established a Member-owned cooperative to help improve each other's lives. In 2024, the Credit Union reported more than $30 billion in assets and remains the largest credit union in California. For more information about SchoolsFirst FCU, visit schoolsfirstfcu.org.
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