49 Aspiring Educators Walk at Lake Erie College Commencement as On-the-Job Teacher Pathway Scales Across Multiple States

This Saturday, May 9, 49 aspiring educators from school districts across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, and Louisiana will walk at graduation as part of a unique partnership between Lake Erie College and BloomBoard. The ceremony represents the largest single graduation event to date for the program—and a broader milestone: more than 100 educators have now earned their teaching degrees and certifications through this job-embedded model since its launch.

Unlike traditional teacher preparation programs, the model allows candidates to remain in the classroom, earning a salary while completing coursework. Because their on-the-job experience is embedded in the program, candidates do not need to step away for a separate, unpaid student-teaching semester—removing a major financial and logistical barrier. Districts cover a portion of tuition costs, with the remainder typically offset through a coordinated blend of federal, state, and local funding sources—making the path to licensure financially accessible for most candidates.

“Innovative, job-embedded pathways like this represent the future of teacher preparation,"  - said Lake Erie College Jennifer N. Schuller. "Through our partnership with BloomBoard, Lake Erie College is proud to support aspiring educators in earning their degrees while continuing to serve their communities. Together, we’re helping remove barriers to the profession and creating new, more sustainable pathways into teaching.”

Over the past 3 years, Lake Erie College has been an early leader in adopting this on-the-job model in partnership with BloomBoard, helping districts build sustainable teacher pipelines from within their existing workforce.

The impact is already visible in classrooms. Many of the graduates began as paraprofessionals—roles that are critical to school operations but often underutilized as pathways into teaching. Without access to a flexible, affordable program, many would not have pursued certification.

“With the help of BloomBoard, we’ve found a powerful way to fill some of our most difficult teaching vacancies, particularly in high-need areas," said Hernando County Schools Superintendent Ray Pinder. "By supporting paraprofessionals and community members in earning their certification, we’re growing our own teachers—people who already have strong ties to our schools. That connection makes a difference not just in hiring, but in long-term retention.”

For many participants, the moment is deeply personal. For Tonya Alexander, a paraprofessional of 11 years at Brown County Educational Service Center in Ohio, the path to graduation was decades in the making. A single mother of four who first dreamed of becoming a teacher in high school, Tonya says traditional teacher preparation was never a realistic option. "You can't student teach and try to be a single mom without having your job," she said. The on-the-job model changed that equation entirely — allowing her to earn her certification without stepping away from the classroom or sacrificing her income. Next week, she'll walk across the stage at 53 years old and step directly into a full-time teaching position. "I wanted to be a teacher at 18 years old. I'm going to be a teacher at 53 years old."

As districts nationwide continue to face staffing challenges, programs like this are gaining traction as a practical, scalable solution—transforming existing school staff into certified teachers without requiring them to step away from the classroom.