LEWISTON – Officials of Central Maine Community College and the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College have announced a new agreement that will allow qualified students in the community college’s Joint Education and Teacher Training Program to transfer seamlessly into the Collaborative Learning and School Success (CLASS) Teacher Education Program at USM/L-A.

“Based upon the mutual interest of USM/L-A and CM (community college) to provide an articulated program that builds on learning experiences and eliminates duplication of instruction, the two institutions have agreed to establish this unique collaborative education endeavor,” said Zark VanZandt, dean of USM/L-A, and Scott Knapp, president of CM.

“Our objective is to prepare as many well-qualified people as possible to step into the teaching profession in our community. This agreement will provide a very attractive option to CM education students who wish to pursue teacher certification after they complete their studies at the community college.”

In addition to establishing a formal transfer of credits from the JETT program to the CLASS Professional Development School program, the agreement also gives students in the JETT program the option of pursuing dual matriculation status and actually starting seminar courses in the CLASS program while at the community college.

“Upon graduation from CM with an associate degree in education, they will then be recognized as juniors in USM/L-A’s CLASS program. Since they will have taken the required CLASS program courses during their two years at the community college, they will not be behind the other students in their USM cohort,” added VanZandt and Knapp.

The two institutions will also institute an informal consortium agreement establishing financial aid reciprocity, with CM acting as the “home” institution.

Students who fulfill CM’s JETT program requirements, graduate with an associate degree in education, and remain in good academic standing will be recognized as juniors in USM/L-A’s CLASS program.

The CLASS program prepares future teachers for careers in the classroom. Students are placed in local partner schools immediately and begin working with mentor teachers to understand the everyday experiences of teachers and students. Upon completion of the CLASS pogram, students earn their bachelor’s degree in a liberal arts field, state certification to teach kindergarten through grade eight and more than 30 graduate credits toward a master’s degree.

Anyone interested in learning more about the agreement should contact the admissions office at CM at 755-5273.