VIDEO: Hinds Community College and Delta State University 2+2 Program

Teacher preparation programs can also increase recruitment efforts by partnering with community colleges to create degree-articulation agreements.  For rural communities, which are often far from a four-year university, local community colleges can support the teacher pipeline through innovative programs that leverage these articulation agreements.

The 2+2 program, is a partnership between Hinds Community College (HCC) and Delta State University that offers junior- and senior-level courses for a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Students attending college in Central Mississippi and wishing to complete their Elementary Education degree can take classes at a designated Hinds campus, by way of traditional classroom, video conferencing, and online options. Because of the large number of students of color enrolled in community colleges—more than 40% in the U.S. by some estimates—such partnerships have the potential to attract more candidates of color to the teaching profession.

Find out more about building a strong and diverse teaching profession at TeacherPlaybook.org.