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A new bachelor’s degree that prepares students for certification in three widely sought-after teaching areas – childhood education, early childhood education, and special education – will help address the teacher shortage by graduating teachers who can fill three types of open positions in schools.
With this new degree, Russell Sage is the only program in the Capital Region that prepares bachelor’s graduates for three certifications at once, allowing them to teach students from birth through sixth grade and all grades of special education. Russell Sage is one of only a few colleges in New York state with three certifications rolled into one bachelor’s program.
The college received New York State Education Department (NYSED) approval for the Bachelor of Science in Childhood Education/Early Childhood Education/Special Education to launch this fall. In addition, the college received state approval for a new School District Business Leader (SDBL) advanced certificate program, which fills a void left by the closure of The College of Saint Rose, and prepares graduates to assume business leadership positions in schools.
Russell Sage has been home to the most robust slate of education degrees in the region, from bachelor’s through doctoral degrees. At the time of Saint Rose’s closure announcement late last year, Russell Sage was the only other college in the region with an Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Birth-6) bachelor’s degree program. It is unique in the region with Physical Education, School Health Education, and Art Education programs, and has the only Professional School Counseling master’s degree program in the region following Saint Rose’s closure.
In the fall, Russell Sage launched two new education programs – an Instructional Leadership advanced certificate that positions graduates for School Building Leader/School District Leader certification, and a Master of Science in Sport Science: Coaching and Mental Performance, which preps students for professional certification in physical education and refines their coaching skills by focusing on the mental aspects of athletics.
“Russell Sage College prepared students in the field of education for more than 100 years,” said Russell Sage President Christopher Ames. “The challenge of the teacher shortage is not that there are not enough colleges offering degree programs. It’s that society has to do a better job uplifting this noble and critical profession. We need to inspire more students into the field. And we need to address the pressing shortages with nimble degrees, like this triplet-certification bachelor’s program, which graduates professionals who can address the needs that are most pressing in a district.”