Educational Training Specialists' trainings are all approved by the Arizona Board of Education. We have the additional designation as a training of trainers provider, which means that we can train others to train our trainings!
So many teachers to train - so little time. Yes, it seems like August 31, 2009 is far away. Lots of teachers and administrators are waiting to get the training, even biding their time hoping the requirement will go away. One thing I know for sure: When a training requirement is tied to a federal consent decree (as is the training in the state of Arizona), it will remain. Period.
Teachers have lots of questions about SEI training - why they have to take it, what they will learn, why the requirements are different for some newly certified/certifying teachers than for teachers who were certified on or before August 31, 2006. This blog will help you get some of the questions answered that you may have.
First, the reason the teachers in the state of Arizona must take the training is because of that consent decree I mentioned in the first paragraph. You see, several years ago, a suit was filed in federal court on behalf of a little girl whose surname was Flores (hence, FLORES v. Arizona). Ultimately, three areas were uncovered with respect to language minority students in Arizona. The first problem was that teachers were not adequately trained to teach the students. After several years from its first filing, the Arizona Board of Education approved 60 hours (15 hours for the Provisional SEI Endorsement, and a subsequent 45 hours for the Full SEI Endorsement) for teachers certified by August 31, 2006, and 90 hours (an augmented 45-hour course, as well as the 45 hours that the other teachers already had to take). That's why you are required to have either the Full SEI Endorsement, or a Full ESL or Bilingual Endorsement on your certificate by August 31, 2009. I'll blog later about the other two areas uncovered in Flores v. Arizona.
My thoughts are these: We have over 100,000 teachers in the state. That's what I meant by 'So many teachers...' in the first paragraph. Whatever you do, don't wait until Spring of 2009 to fulfill the requirement. I truly believe that there will be a mad dash for training at that time, and some panicky teachers who will not be able to find courses to fulfill the requirement. Wherever you take your SEI courses, with us or elsewhere, please consider doing so in the next year. Resting easy beats panicking any day of the week! :-)
I'm happy to take your comments or questions on the SEI training, with one caveat: As tempting as it is to become upset or frustrated, I will only keep comments or questions that seek to understand or that are helpful to the community. Believe me, we all feel frustrated with different requirements that are made of us as teachers, but going 'round and 'round about a requirement that won't change will just make your stomach hurt. Now that you know the ground rules, let's talk!
Teachers, you have my greatest admiration and respect. Just know that.
Anne Swigard
Educational Training Specialists, LLC
ps If you need training and don't know where to receive it, check ours out at www.azseitraining.com
