JET Testifies on Beacon Hill in Support of the Educator Diversity Act

Thank you, Chairs Peisch and Lewis for the opportunity to testify today in

support of the Educator Diversity Act (H.682/S.366). My name is Pamela

Herrup and I am the Co-founder and Director of JET, Journey into Education

and Teaching. 

JET is a solution to diversifying the educator workforce. We have diverse

future educators working in our schools already. Currently JET works in 10 major urban

districts across the state: Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Chelsea, Fall River,

Holyoke, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield, Springfield Empowerment Zone,

and Worcester. (We welcome new partners.) On average 45% of

paraprofessionals in these districts are diverse, which is more than double

the average teacher diversity rate in these districts.

JET is the only program in Massachusetts working with paraprofessionals

without bachelor’s degrees. JET can report that 70% of its participants are diverse. This closely mirrors

the average student diversity rate of 73% in our partner urban districts.

JET participants are often first generation college students and speak more

than one language.

Support for this bill will persuade education leaders to keep building this

community teacher pipeline that generates local, talented, experienced and

diverse educators who will serve our diverse Prek-12 students long term.

JET firmly supports expanding alternative pathways to teaching, and, in

addition, strongly recommends that paraprofessionals receive academic

recognition in their teacher preparation programs for their ongoing

extensive teaching knowledge and experience.