California Grant Opens Doors for Hundreds of Diverse Educators to Pursue School Leadership

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of California educators are going back to school in the 2024-25 academic year to pursue an administrative services credential thanks to grant funding from the Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative (DELPI).

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing announced awards to support 367 administrator services credential candidates across the state with one-time grants of up to $30,000 per candidate.

The DELPI is part of a broader network of California initiatives aimed at addressing educational inequities by increasing diversity among school administrators to better reflect the student populations they serve.

Many educators have already taken out student loans to finish their undergraduate or graduate degrees. The cost associated with another credential can be a barrier to seeking the credential necessary for promotion.

"The DELPI grant plays a crucial role in fostering diversity in California schools by providing essential funding, resources, and support for inclusive educational practices. This helps to ensure that all students have access to a diverse and equitable learning environment," said Mary Vixie Sandy, executive director of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

In San Bernardino City Unified School District, DELPI grant recipient Lawrence Hardy, an educational services program specialist, is grateful for the opportunity to further his knowledge to become an effective equity-driven leader.

"Growing up, I often saw a lack of diversity and positive role models, which sometimes made it challenging to see my potential reflected in the curriculum and the people around me," Hardy said.

"It was in middle school that I had my first African American math teacher. His presence alone inspired me. He was charismatic and relatable, someone who I felt understood me. In return, I want to be that educator that will inspire and motivate the next generation."

Hardy is enrolled in the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) preliminary administrative services credential program.

The grant is funded with $10 million allocated to the Commission in the 2023-24 state budget to train, place, and retain diverse and culturally responsive administrators in transitional kindergarten through 12^th grade to improve student outcomes and meet the needs of California's education workforce.

The DELPI grant program requires candidates to commit to a minimum of two years of service as a site-level administrator in a California school within four years of earning a preliminary administrative services credential.

The Commission is not currently accepting applications for the DELPI grant. To view all current grant opportunities, visit the Commission's website.

Southern California Awards

Northern California Awards 

Full story: Diverse Educators Begin Administrative Credential Programs with DELPI Grant Funding and Support

Free resources for those interested in teaching:

• The Commission has career counselors available for one-on-one conversations to provide guidance for prospective or current teachers. Requests can be made via this form.
• Information on a wide variety of financial resources available to teacher candidates in California can be found here.
• A Roadmap to Teaching can be found here.

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is an agency in the Executive Branch of California State Government. It was created in 1970 by the Ryan Act and is the oldest of the autonomous state standards boards in the nation. The major purpose of the agency is to serve as a state standards board for educator preparation for the public schools of California, the licensing and credentialing of professional educators in the State, the enforcement of professional practices of educators, and the discipline of credential holders in the State of California.

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SOURCE California Commission on Teacher Credentialing