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A-PLUS
For more information,
including how to apply,
contact:
Terry Alegria Roper,
Library Specialist
Dallas Independent School
District
(972) 925-6704
talegria@dallasisd.org
For more examples of TWU's
community partnerships, please visit the
P-16 Initiatives web site. |
ABOUT THE A-PLUS
PROJECT
The A-PLUS Project is
a Librarians for the 21st Century grant, funded by
the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The diverse
Dallas Independent School District (DISD) faces a critical
shortage of certified school librarians. In collaboration with
the Dallas Independent School District Alternative Certification
program, the A-PLUS Project will increase the number of
certified school librarians, particularly those with Spanish
language skills, in DISD schools. The A-PLUS project also aims
to increase the number of school librarians with the Master of
Library Science degree.
Beginning with the
2005 - 2006 academic year, DISD
has been able to recruit a nearly full cohort of students for
certification in each of the three years of our grant (43 out of
a possible 45 interns). These interns then began a two-year
internship toward alternative certification as school
librarians. A-PLUS Project funds covered
certification fees, as well as all tuition and fees for the
required Texas Woman’s University coursework toward
certification. In addition, interns had the opportunity to use
A-PLUS Project funds to pay tuition and fees toward the Master
of Library Science degree at TWU.
Individuals interested
in applying to the DISD school librarian alternative
certification program must have a Bachelor’s degree from a
regionally-accredited university. In addition, they must either
already have a Master’s degree or be able to complete a Master’s
degree within eighteen months of entry into the program. They
must have a minimum 3.0 grade average in all coursework. For more information
about how to apply to the program, please see the contact
information in the box at the top right of this page.
CURRENT NEWS
A message from the
A-PLUS Principal Investigator:
I am very pleased to
report that Mrs. Jaylia Rentfro has joined the A-PLUS team
as our new Project Coordinator. Jaylia is a graduate
student in the Family Therapy program here at TWU.
Welcome Jaylia!
- Barbara Lerner
Cohort
Updates:
Cohort
One
The 15
students of cohort one (2005-2006) have successfully completed
all required coursework, and the state certification exam, and
have all been placed as librarians in the Dallas Independent
School District. The School of Library and Information Studies
at TWU reports that eleven of the fifteen interns opted to
pursue the MLS degree, and three have already graduated.
Five
interns in cohort one have bilingual skills, three of which have
completed the Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT). The TOPT is
the state of Texas’ required test for bilingual proficiency
certification. The other two have bilingual skills and are
currently preparing for the TOPT.
Cohort Two
The 14 students of cohort two
(2006-2007) are in their second year of the program and are
expected to graduate at the end of the year. Of these, nine
have applied and been accepted to the MLS program at TWU, and,
thirteen of fourteen interns have passed the State Librarian
Exam.
Seven of
the fourteen interns in cohort two have Spanish skills. Five of
those have passed the TOPT exam. All interns are currently
placed in the DISD as librarians.
Cohort
Three
The 14
students of cohort three (2007-2008) are proceeding on target.
Eleven cohorts are librarians of record and the other three are
teachers within the district. All members of cohort three
completed the first two required certification courses in the
Summer of 2007, and are currently enrolled in the final
certification course. They are scheduled to take the State
Librarian Certification Exam in October.
This is
our largest cohort with bilingual skills, as eight members hold
bilingual certification. Most members have expressed an
interest in pursuing the MLS degree.
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