Santa Cruz County Project IMPACT Teacher Credentialing Program

School Districts recognize that there are many talented individuals in Santa Cruz County who might be interested in becoming teachers in their own community. This program is designed for them. Classes are held at the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Project IMPACT interns work full time as the classroom teacher of record while taking the required credential coursework over a two-year period. Credential classes are both practical and rigorous. IMPACT interns spend approximately 3 hours, two nights each week in class. There have been more than 450 teachers who have graduated from Project IMPACT during the 10 years it has been in operation. Their employers cite these graduates as being extremely well prepared teachers. Alternative certification programs such as IMPACT are designed to provide a route into teaching for candidates who would be better served by learning to teach while on the job. IMPACT candidates have multiple layers of support in this endeavor. Interns are assigned veteran teachers at their school as coaches, practicum supervisors observe and guide them in their teaching a minimum of twice each month, and faculty is comprised of current practitioners who also offer support within their coursework. Probably most significant though is the support they receive from one another in this unique program. Project IMPACT recruits prospective teachers from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most interns come to the program from other careers. New teachers have come from such diverse fields as criminal justice, the military, video animation, real estate, and computer programming, as well as from private school, substitute, and paraprofessional teaching ranks. For more information contact Project IMPACT at (209) 468-9116.