The SEALED Project
The SEALED project’s purpose is to increase the number of diverse and highly qualified teachers, increase teachers’ use of data-driven instructional decision-making, and enhance teachers’ facilitation of student engagement.
The project will provide 95% tuition funding for 6th-12th grade M-DCPS core subject teachers as they earn a Master’s degree at the University of Miami. Teachers will complete an M.S.Ed. Program of their choice (Special Education or Education & Social Change) as a cohort. Coaching and feedback on pedagogical strategies will be provided for randomly selected teachers throughout the program, with three video-recorded observations of all teachers in their classrooms during instructional time.
The application window for our THIRD and FINAL COHORT has opened. Applications as well as all supporting documents must be received by April 7, 2019. Applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. This opportunity is available to 39 M-DCPS secondary school core subject teachers. Participants will begin classes in May 2019 and end in August 2020. See Schedule tab on this website for more information.
Teachers’
Responsibilities
The following are the anticipated teacher responsibilities in order to participate in the SEALED project and receive the tuition benefit:
In your classroom
- Hand out and collect consent/assent forms for students’ and parents’ to sign (forms will be provided by UM project staff);
- Implement UM course assignments or teaching approaches in your classroom;
- Participate and receive coaching on teaching strategies (if randomly selected for Applied Graduate Education conditions throughout two-year period, or during summer academy);
- Agree to having your instruction video-recorded at the beginning, mid- and end-of-program;
- Have data collectors in your classroom to video-record instruction, pick up consents, and other documents, as needed;
For UM coursework
- Attend 5:00 pm classes two evenings per week
- Move at pre-determined pace of 2 courses/semester including summer (part time)
- Pay full tuition to retake any failed courses, if needed
- Pay university fees each semester, monitor account for any holds/issues
- Pay for required textbooks/materials
- As part of a culminating project, teachers will teach in a 2-week summer institute
Schedule
| Semester | Summer A | Summer B | Fall | Spring | Summer A | Summer B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 |
| Dates | 5/20 - 6/28 | 7/1 - 8/9 | 8/19 - 12/3 | 1/13 - 4/24 | 5/18 - 6/26 | 6/29 - 8/5 |
| Finals | - | - | 12/5 - 12/11 | 4/29 - 5/6 | - | - |
| Credits | 6 |
6 | 6 |
6 | 3 | 3 |
| Classes | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Duration | 2 evenings/week + online assignments |
2 evenings/week + online assignments |
2 evenings/week | 2 evenings/week | 2 evenings/week | 2 evenings/week |
Students in cohort 3 will take 4 classes total during Summer 2019 semester. The first 2 classes will be from May 20 through June 28, and the second 2 classes will be from July 1 through August 9. During Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters, students will take 2 classes per semester. Each class will meet once per week, meaning students will meet on campus twice per week in the evenings. Students will take 2 classes total during Summer 2019 semester. The first class will be from May 18 through June 26, and the class will meet twice per week. The second class will be from June 29 through August 5, and the class will meet twice per week.
Questions & Answers
1Can I transfer credits from another program?
No, because this is a funded program, you cannot transfer in any credits, even if the course description is similar to the course you are required to take at UM.
2Can I take a different number of classes per semester than the rest of the cohort?
No, the SEALED course rotation follows a cohort model, so you must take the courses in the predetermined sequence along with the rest of the cohort. Please look at slide #9 in the PowerPoint presentation for the SEALED course rotation.
3What happens if I do not pass a class (earn lower than a C)?
If you fail to pass a course, you must retake the course at your own expense. Depending on course availability, you may not be able to graduate with your cohort.
4Can I choose which condition I am in (coaching or non-coaching)?
No. Conditions will be determined randomly by grant staff. Regardless of which condition you are in, you will need to be videotaped in class. The only difference between the two conditions is that the coaching condition teachers receive coaching throughout the program, and the non-coaching condition teachers receive coaching during the summer academy at the end of the program.
5What if I can’t make it to campus by 5:00 for class?
If you think you will have difficulty getting to campus by 5:00 due to your teaching schedule and traffic, know that all other students in the program will be teachers as well and will have similar issues. Courses may be offered at a different location depending on where students are teaching, or the professor may agree to change the start and finish time to accommodate everyone. It is UM's policy that the first course meets at its designated time and any changes would need to be agreed upon by the professor and all students.
6What if I would like to change schools during the program?
Because we will be collecting data on your students (e.g., work samples for course assignments, etc.), we discourage transferring schools mid-year, but if you were to remain in a M-DCPS school serving high-needs populations, it would be o.k. at the end or beginning of the school year (i.e., summer).
7Will we be expected to do a thesis?
You will not be expected to do a thesis, however you will complete action research (examining and addressing areas specific to the needs of the students you are teaching) during a summer teaching academy and write up a paper on the project.
8How much will I be expected to pay for tuition per semester?
During 2018-19, you will be expected to pay approximately $201.90/credit hour;
During 2019-20, you will be expected to pay approximately $208.00/credit hour. You will also need to pay mandatory part-time graduate student fees each semester, which sums to approximately $200 for fall, spring, and summer registration. The fees are explained in detail here.
9Do I need to ask my principal about allowing classroom observers to come in?
If admitted to the program, your principal should know that there will be SEALED project staff coming in to video record lessons, and possibly M-DCPS Curriculum Support Specialists coach your instruction (depending on the condition you are randomly assigned). M-DCPS is a partner with UM for SEALED, and there will be a protocol submitted for approval to the M-DCPS Research Review office. You will need to assist in the dissemination and collection of permission forms from your students and their parents, which will also be approved by the M-DCPS Research Review office. Additionally, course work will include applications of material learned. Project staff are happy to meet or speak with your principal if there are any questions.
10Is the GRE required?
The GRE is required; however, if you have been teaching full-time for 3 years or more, you may fill out a GRE waiver application (linked on this website) to see if you qualify to have the GRE waived for your graduate application.
11Will the job-embedded support be provided as a part of coursework, in the classroom, or will teachers be required to attend trainings/coaching sessions during the weekend?
If selected to receive job-embedded support (coaching) in your classroom, the Curriculum Support Specialist will work with you as part of your course assignments. There will not be any extra meetings or time required on the weekends.
12Who does SEALED consider to be “high-needs students?”
High-Need Students means students who are “at risk for educational failure” or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as students who are living in poverty, who are far below grade level, who have left school before receiving a Regular High School Diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are English learners.
Contact
E-mail:
Dr. Christina Crocco, Program Manager
For General Inquiries
+1 305-284-9188