Five Kansas Colleges Announce “Educate the State” A Partnership to Address the State Teacher Shortage

The five female Presidents of the Public - Private schools in the Educate the State partnership. (From Left to Right: Dr. Michelle Schoon [Cowley College], Dr. Kimberly Krull [Butler Community College], Dr. Elizabeth Frombgen [Southwestern College], Dr. Amy Bragg Carey [Friends University], Dr. Kathleen Jagger [Newman University]).

Public-private educational partnership makes teaching degrees more affordable for future Kansas teachers.

A group of five area colleges have announced a new partnership called Educate the State aimed at positively impacting the current teacher shortage in Kansas.

The new public-private agreement brings together Cowley College, Butler Community College, Friends University, Newman University, and Southwestern College. By working together, the institutions have created a seamless and more affordable transfer option for Secondary Education majors. 

In 2022, the Kansas Independent Colleges Association (KICA) announced a global transfer for any Kansas community college graduate earning an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree to transfer as a junior status directly to any Kansas private university.

Educate the State takes it a step further as these institutions also guarantee a lower tuition rate at the private university level for those wanting to become K-12 teachers. 

Tuition per credit hour is discounted to $300 per credit hour at the university level for Educate the State students. That equates to a $22,000 scholarship at Friends University.

How to Access Educate the State:

1. Earn a Secondary Education associate degree from Butler or Cowley with a 2.75 minimum GPA.
2. Transfer to Friends, Newman or Southwestern based on subject matter emphasis as a full-time Secondary Education major.
3. Receive the discounted $300 tuition rate for final two years regardless of the four-year institution selected.

Cowley Secondary Education Pathways for Educate the State

• Earned Associates of Arts (A.A.) or Associates of Science (A.S.) degree pathway in:
  • Secondary Education – Math (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Science (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Language Arts (AA)

Butler Secondary Education Pathways for Educate the State

• Earned Associates of Arts (A.A.) or Associates of Science (A.S.) degree pathway in:
  • Secondary Education (AA)
  • Secondary Education Science (AS)

“Educate the State gives Cowley College students an affordable option to pursue a degree in secondary education at one of three high-quality private institutions,” Cowley College president Dr. Michelle Schoon said. “This partnership provides opportunities for our students to stay local and fill the shortage of educators in our region.”

Cowley College and Butler Community College students can go on to enroll in the following Secondary Education Pathways with university partners: 

Friends University

• Earned Associates of Arts (A.A.) or Associates of Science (A.S.) degree pathway in:
  • Secondary Education (AA)
  • Secondary Education – Math (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Science (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Social Studies (AA)
  • Secondary Education – Language Arts (AA)

Southwestern College

• Earned Associates of Arts (A.A.) or Associates of Science (A.S.) degree pathway in:
  • Secondary Education – Math (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Science (AS)
  • Secondary Education – Language Arts (AA) 

Newman University

• Earned Associates of Arts (A.A.) or Associates of Science (A.S.) degree pathway in:
  • Secondary Education (AA)
  • Secondary Education –Math (AS)
  • Secondary Education –Science (AS)
  • Secondary Education –Social Studies (AA)
  • Secondary Education–Language Art

To learn more visit Cowley.edu

QUOTES FROM PRESIDENTS  

FRIENDS UNIVERSITY

"This new partnership allows Friends University and other area colleges to collaborate together and work toward a solution for the teacher shortage," said Dr. Amy Bragg Carey, president of Friends University. "Today's young minds are tomorrow's leaders, so we are changing the landscape for teachers to pursue a degree, earn their teaching license, and begin impacting students as soon as possible.”

BUTLER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Dr. Kim Krull, Butler president, says Educate the State is a great example of how Butler fulfills its mission to contribute to the vitality of its surrounding communities and the workforce of Kansas.

"Educate the State is a partnership that speaks to Butler's long-standing commitment to education through our 2+2 agreements with several public and private universities. We're celebrating 20 years of BEST this year which is our Butler to Emporia Students to Teachers program for elementary education teachers. It's fitting we launch this next great partnership through Educate the State to help meet the demand for secondary education teachers and we’re honored to be working with these educational partners,” said Krull.

NEWMAN UNIVERSITY

President Dr. Kathleen Jagger believes Educate the State perfectly aligns with Newman University’s mission and the role it has historically played in the region.

“We are proud to join this innovative partnership to make teaching degrees more affordable and accessible, directly addressing Kansas' critical teacher shortage. Newman was founded nearly a century ago to meet the need for teachers and we embrace this new opportunity to collaborate with these outstanding institutions. Together, we can inspire and empower the next generation of exceptional teachers to shape young minds across our state."

SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE

“Since our founding in 1885, Southwestern College has proudly prepared and educated teachers who have gone on to serve students and communities all across Kansas,” said Elizabeth Frombgen, president of Southwestern College. “Through cooperative initiatives such as Educate the State we will leverage incentives and partnerships to attract more young people to the vocation of teaching and in doing so we will better serve our communities, and more broadly, Kansas.”

About Cowley College

Cowley College was founded in 1922 and has a rich history of providing quality education for over a century with multiple campuses located in Arkansas City, Mulvane, Wellington, Wichita, and Winfield Kansas. Cowley College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers a wide range of academic programs, including associate degrees, technical certificates, and workforce development courses, catering to various career paths and interests. Visit cowley.edu for more information.

About Butler Community College

Butler Community College, Kansas' only Adobe Creative Campus and a recognized Aspen Institute Top 150 U.S. Community College, offers more than 100 degree programs and 30 professional certification programs in person and online. The main campus is in El Dorado, Kansas, with several other campuses throughout the county and beyond. Visit butlercc.edu to learn more. 

About Friends University

Friends University, a Christian University of Quaker heritage, equips students to honor God and serve others by integrating their intellectual, spiritual, and professional lives. Visit friends.edu for more.

About Newman University

Newman University is a Catholic university named for St. John Henry Newman and founded by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ for the purpose of empowering graduates to transform society. Newman meets the needs of traditional first-time students, returning adults, and graduate students through undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. For more information about Newman University, visit NewmanU.edu. 

About Southwestern College

Southwestern College is a private liberal arts college, founded in 1885 by Methodists in south central Kansas. Today its Winfield campus is the residential hub that guides students to lives of meaning and service, with well-rounded academic and extra-curricular offerings attracting traditional-aged students from throughout the nation and world. Southwestern College Professional Studies provides options for online students in any location and has been named a top provider for persons serving in the military. The college continues to be affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Visit sckans.edu for more.

Hunter Ferguson | Integrated Communications Specialist
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
hunter.ferguson@cowley.edu