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Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage is no accident — it’s the result of a decade-long erosion of the educator pipeline. According to the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) in 2011–12, the state issued more than 12,000 in-state instructional certificates. By 2021–22, that number had dropped to 4,220 — a decline of more than 60%. Meanwhile, nearly 95% of Pennsylvania’s teaching workforce is white, while only 63% of the state’s K–12 students identify as white. The gap between who teaches and who learns has never been wider.

Eight Pennsylvania colleges and universities are doing something about it.

In a growing effort to rebuild and diversify the educator pipeline, these institutions have partnered with Educators Rising to award college credit for students who complete Educators Rising Micro-credentials potentially when they’re still in high school. It’s a direct, concrete solution: students who participate in an Educators Rising high school program and earn their micro-credentials can arrive on campus with college credits already in hand — saving real time and real money on the path to the classroom.

What are the Educators Rising Micro-credentials?

Educators Rising Micro-credentials are competency-based credentials that high school students earn by demonstrating specific teaching skills. They’re built on the same standards that drive Educators Rising’s nationally recognized curriculum — and they’re now being recognized by higher education institutions as evidence of college-level learning.

For students, that recognition translates directly into credit hours. For institutions, it represents a shared commitment to growing a more robust and diverse teacher pipeline.

Partnering Universities and Credit Awards

The following eight Pennsylvania colleges and universities are currently awarding college credit for Educators Rising Micro–credential completion. Students should verify current policies directly with each institution, as program details are subject to change. Some schools also award credit for successful completion of the ParaPro NOCTI or ParaPro Assessment.

Always check directly with the university for the most current policies on credit award, program requirements, and course equivalencies.

* For Carlow University: Students who have successfully mastered the below courses will be eligible to receive the following twelve college credits upon enrollment in the Bachelor of Science Degrees in the College of Education and Social Work. The student must successfully master the competencies and skill outlined in the Ed Rising curriculum by attaining the micro-credentials and/or passing the NOCTI associated with CIP 13.0101 (Commendable or Highly Skilled) or, as an alternative to the NOCTI, passing the ParaPro Assessment with a minimum cut score of 459. Students must be enrolled in the Ed Rising curriculum and subsequently at Carlow University to receive transfer credit. 

The student will be required to provide appropriate documentation (NOCTI/ParaPro results or micro-credential attainment) to the Transfer Admission Office at Carlow University. Students must demonstrate completion of Educators Rising micro-credentials through the award of badges by Digital Promise. PDK is unable to independently verify completion of the microcredentials for individual students.

What This Means for Students

College costs money — a lot of it. At private universities, the per-credit cost can easily reach $1,500 or more. That means a student who earns 12 credits through Educators Rising Micro-credentials could save more than $18,000 in tuition before they ever set foot in a first-year seminar. Even at public institutions, the savings are significant. The cost of the five micro-credential stack, which schools can purchase through Digital Promise, is $375.

Beyond dollars, credits mean time. Students who arrive on campus with completed coursework can accelerate their programs, graduate earlier, or use the freed-up space to add a specialization. This also provides options to take on a student teaching placement, or lighten a load that — for students working to fund their own education — is often already heavy.

And research is clear about something else: 60% of teachers end up working within 20 miles of where they went to high school. Growing teachers in your community isn’t just cost-effective — it’s how you build a workforce that reflects and sustains the places students call home.

For Pennsylvania High Schools Not Yet Participating

These credit partnerships only apply to students who have completed an Educators Rising Course of Study in high school. That means the opportunity starts — or doesn’t — at the secondary level.

Pennsylvania high schools that don’t yet offer an Educators Rising CTE pathway are leaving this pipeline capacity on the table. Educators Rising provides a complete, standards-based curriculum aligned to national CTE frameworks, along with professional development, implementation support, and co-curricular programming that deepens student engagement. It’s one of the most complete teacher pipeline programs available to schools — and it’s the on-ramp to the college credit opportunities outlined above.

For higher education deans and admissions leaders: the students you want to recruit into your education programs are being developed right now, in high school classrooms. The question is whether the pipeline in your region is strong enough to deliver them.

Get Started

Learn more about Educators Rising Micro-credentials and how they can create opportunities for your students — or your institution.