Odessa Pathway to Teaching

Odessa Pathway to Teaching is an alternate route teacher certification program formed through a partnership between TNTP and Ector County ISD. Through this partnership that was established in 2018, we’ve designed a specialized, hybrid training model that provides in-person and virtual instruction focusing on the most important skills effective educators bring to their classrooms. We believe a great education can make a difference in the lives of students and their community. We know that Ector County ISD is a growing district, and we’re committed to preparing great teachers to meet our community’s needs.

OPT is a 15-month alternative certification program that provides intensive and personalized support to certify high-quality, diverse teachers for Ector County ISD. Program participants can expect to complete the following:

Targeted Test Prep. We recognize testing can be a barrier to certification, keeping effective teachers from supporting the students who need them the most. OPT starts with the Enrollment Period in January, providing candidates with free targeted, intensive test prep one night a week and one Saturday a month through early May.

Real Classroom Training. Practice makes perfect and our candidates have the opportunity to not only observe teaching, but also lead instruction in real summer school classrooms through Pre-Service Training (PST). During the full-time, 5-week intensive PST that occurs from May to July, ECISD and TNTP staff provide ongoing and personalized coaching and feedback to help master the techniques essential to impacting student achievement.

School Year Support. Candidates who continue onto the Internship year start as full-time teachers in an ECISD classroom earning a full teacher salary. During this time, OPT teachers participate in program-designed professional development sessions, receive formal and informal observations, and consistently receive feedback to improve their performance in their own classrooms.