Executive Report: A Strategic Partnership Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in Education

Introduction: The “Students to Teachers through Educator Pathways” (STEP) Initiative

A new partnership between Mount Marty University-Watertown (MMU) and Northeast Technical High School (NTHS) has been established to address critical shortages in the education sector. The initiative, titled “Students to Teachers through Educator Pathways (STEP),” creates a direct and accelerated route for high school students into the teaching profession. This program serves as a model for local action in achieving global development objectives, particularly those related to education, economic growth, and sustainable communities.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education

The STEP program is fundamentally aligned with SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The initiative contributes directly to several key targets within this goal.

Target 4.c: Substantially Increase the Supply of Qualified Teachers

The primary objective of the STEP initiative is to expand the pool of qualified educators. By creating an early and accessible pathway, the program actively works to build a sustainable teacher workforce to serve local communities.

• The program provides a structured pathway for high school students to begin an elementary education degree.
• It combines classroom learning with practical, hands-on experience in local school settings.
• The initiative is designed to recruit future teachers directly from the communities they will eventually serve, fostering a “grow your own” model of educational sustainability.

Target 4.3: Ensure Equal Access to Affordable and Quality Tertiary Education

A core component of the program is its focus on affordability and accessibility, key tenets of SDG 4. The dual-credit system is designed to reduce barriers to higher education.

• Students can earn university credits while still in high school, reducing the overall cost and time required to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
• Heidi Schooley, MMU-Watertown campus director, noted this provides an “affordable approach to degree completion.”
• Successful completion could allow a student to earn a bachelor’s degree in as few as three years post-high school graduation.

Broader Contributions to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth & SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

By creating a clear career trajectory in a vital public service sector, the STEP program supports local economic stability and community resilience.

1. Career Pathway Creation: The program provides students from several area high schools with a direct pathway to a stable and essential profession, contributing to decent work opportunities.
2. Community Strengthening: Recruiting teachers locally helps ensure that educational professionals have a vested interest in the well-being of their communities, strengthening the social fabric required for sustainable development under SDG 11.
3. Participating Districts: The program serves a broad region, including students from Watertown, Castlewood, Waverly-South Shore, Florence, Great Plains Lutheran, Henry, and Summit.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The STEP initiative is a prime example of the multi-stakeholder collaborations required to achieve the SDGs. The partnership leverages the unique strengths of different institutions to achieve a common goal.

1. Mount Marty University-Watertown: Provides the higher education curriculum and accreditation for the dual-credit courses.
2. Northeast Technical High School: Offers the career-focused academic framework and access to students from multiple school districts.
3. Watertown School District: Represents a key local partner and future employer, with Superintendent Jeff Danielsen expressing hope that the venture will “help grow the list of future teachers in our state.”

Program Implementation and Outlook

Enrollment and Contact Information

The first opportunity for NTHS students to register for the new dual-credit courses is the fall semester. The program’s success is anticipated to have a significant positive impact on the state’s educator pipeline, directly supporting the long-term goal of quality education for all children in the region.

• Student Information: Interested parties are directed to the Mount Marty University website.
• School District Inquiries: Districts interested in the pathway can contact Nicholas Shudak, Ph.D., MMU Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article’s central theme is the “Students to Teachers through Educator Pathways (STEP)” initiative, a program created by Mount Marty University and Northeast Technical High School. Its primary goal is to “address the need for future educators” and provide a pathway for high school students to obtain elementary education degrees, directly contributing to the quality and availability of education.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The program is described as a blend of “Career Academics and Guided Pathways,” designed to equip students with skills for a specific profession. By providing a clear route from high school to university and then to employment as a teacher, it supports productive employment and decent work for youth.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The initiative is highlighted as an “affordable approach to degree completion.” By offering dual-credit courses that can reduce the time and cost of a bachelor’s degree, the program helps mitigate economic barriers to higher education, promoting more equitable access for students from various local communities.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article explicitly details a partnership between multiple institutions: “Mount Marty University-Watertown (MMU) and Northeast Technical High School (NTHS).” The support and optimism from the “Watertown School District Superintendent” further demonstrate a multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve a common educational goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.

   • The STEP program is a dual-credit initiative that allows high school students to begin their university-level education early. The article emphasizes that it provides an “affordable approach to degree completion,” directly aligning with the goal of making tertiary education more accessible and affordable.

2. Target 4.c: Substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers.

   • The program’s stated purpose is to “address the need for future educators” and “grow the list of future teachers in our state.” This directly corresponds to the target of increasing the supply of qualified teachers to ensure quality education.

3. Target 8.6: By 2030, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET).

   • The “Educator Pathways” program provides a structured transition from secondary education to tertiary education and into the teaching profession. By engaging high school students in a career-focused track, it actively works to keep them in education and training, reducing the likelihood of them becoming NEET.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

   • The article is centered on the “new partnership” between a university (MMU), a technical high school (NTHS), and with expressed support from the local school district. This collaboration is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership aimed at strengthening the education system.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 4.3: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training.

   • The article implies this can be measured by tracking the number of students who enroll in the program. It states, “The first semester for NTHS students to register for these new dual-credit classes is this fall,” indicating that enrollment numbers will be a key metric of participation.

2. Indicator for Target 4.c: Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications.

   • The program’s success can be measured by the number of students who complete the pathway and earn their “bachelor’s degree in elementary education.” The ultimate indicator of progress is the increase in the “list of future teachers” who graduate from this program and enter the workforce, thus increasing the supply of qualified educators.

3. Indicator for Target 8.6: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in employment, education or training.

   • An implied indicator is the number of students from the participating high schools (Watertown, Castlewood, etc.) who enroll in the STEP program. A higher enrollment signifies more students are on a defined educational and career track, directly countering the NEET statistic for that age group in the region.

4. Indicator for Target 17.17: Number of multi-stakeholder partnerships.

   • The article itself documents the existence of such a partnership. The indicator is the formal establishment of the “Students to Teachers through Educator Pathways (STEP)” initiative, which involves Mount Marty University, Northeast Technical High School, and the Watertown School District.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mykxlg.com