Teaching To Transcend All Barriers

BTP Mission Statement

The Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) is a teacher preparation program designed to fill critical shortages of bilingual/bicultural teachers in the Portland and Southwest Washington regions. Working with district partners, we recruit and prepare bilingual/bicultural instructional assistants for initial teacher licensure along with an ESL/Bilingual Endorsement. Our Students seek to integrate their cultural wisdom with an academic knowledge base to enhance their skills and services in the instruction of all students but particularly those with diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Through a strong foundation in the social and cultural bases of learning, students learn to apply their unique perspectives for student, family, community and cultural advocacy and effective service delivery.

Purposes of the Program:

• Recruit 25 bilingual/bicultural paraprofessionals per year into BTP's teacher licensure program
• Support and retain BTP students through to initial teacher licensure with an ESL/Bilingual Endorsement through individualized advising, assessment, student services, financial support, mentors and community building
• Coordinate a seamless program of course work and field experiences for bilingual/bicultural paraprofessionals in the Portland Metro and Southwest Washington regions among community colleges, Portland State University and local school districts
• Provide a research-based program of coursework to prepare bilingual/bicultural pre-service teachers to effectively teach all students, especially those with limited English proficiency
• Provide specialized field-work for BTP students

Admission Criteria:

Selection for admission to the BTP Program is a competitive process. Qualified candidates will be selected based on district recommendations and an application evaluation. Yearly cohorts (a cohort is a group of students that go through the program together) will not exceed 35 students and begin each fall term. To be eligible to apply to the BTP Program, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Be employed either part-time or full-time as an instructional assistant by a school district that has an Intergovernmental Agreement with Portland State University
• Be eligible for admission to Portland State University -- NOTE: If you are a non-native English speaker please be sure to see Portland State University's webpage for information on the TOEFL exam. Remember, you must meet this requirement BEFORE applying for admission to PSU.
• Be bilingual/bicultural
  • Bilingual - Oral and written proficiency at the near native level, evidenced through interview and essay
  • Bicultural - Ability to relate in a socially acceptable manner with members of a cultural group other than your own
• Have an endorsement from your school district liaison (applications are only available through your school district liaison)

Bilingual Teacher Pathway Program Portland State University Graduate School of Education 615 SW Harrison, Room 602 PO Box 751 Portland, OR 97207 Phone: (503) 725-4702 Toll Free: (800) 547-8887 ext. 4702 Fax: (503) 725-8475