UHCL School of Education
S.T.E.P.

The Success Through Education Programs (STEP) are a set of K-16 collaborative “grow your own teacher” partnerships with area communities. The program provides support to students as they explore teaching as a profession. The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) has partnered with four area school districts and four community colleges to create distinct collaborations geared toward each area’s needs. The Baytown Area Education Recruitment and Retention (BAER²) program is a joint venture between Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, Lee College, and UHCL. The Galveston Area Teacher Education Recruitment and Retention (GATER²), the 1992 pioneer collaboration, connects Galveston Independent School District and Galveston College with the university. The Homegrown Teacher Project and Pathway to Teaching each aligns UHCL with Galena Park Independent School and San Jacinto College-North and Houston Independent School District with Houston Community College-Southeast, respectively.

STEP has been established in districts with very diverse demographics and works to target students of color, those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and those who are first-generation college students. It aims to provide support for participating students and to diversify the teacher workforce.

Prospective teachers are identified at the high school level through program initiatives such as surveys, career exploration classes, after-school activities and field trips. These students benefit from mentoring, advising, tutoring, job shadowing, academic development, and regular visits to the community colleges and university. At the community college level, students receive core and education courses that transfer seamlessly to UHCL for degree and teacher certification. The university tries to place STEP participants at pre-service internship sites within their neighborhood districts, if possible. These are usually the same districts where the students attended high school, were first recruited, attended community college, and currently live. By placing students in their “home” districts for internship, their likelihood of securing and retaining positions within that district increases exponentially.

Financial support is also available to participating STEP students at UHCL and many of the partner institutions.