SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Funds Cal Poly Pomona Credentialing Program

Credit Union support for computer science coursework benefits elementary, middle and high school teachers

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, today announced its partnership with Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) to fund support for teachers earning their computer science supplementary authorization. The program benefits elementary, middle and high school teachers and has achieved initial success during the past several years. Since its inception in the 2021-22 academic year, 95 Southern California teachers have completed the program.

With funding support from SchoolsFirst FCU, CPP developed four new courses (10 upper-division units) in 2021-22 for middle and high school teachers obtaining their Specific Supplementary Authorization in Computer Science. The effort was led by Daisy Tang, professor and chair of CPP’s computer science department, her colleagues, and supported by the Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in the College of Science. The courses will have been offered four times. Over the first three years, SchoolsFirst FCU’s funding supported the tuition for 59 enrolled teachers, with 57 successfully completing the program. All courses were offered tuition-free to teachers, thanks to SchoolsFirst FCU funds, combined with a special funding opportunity from the Math and Science Teacher Initiative of the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

The program was expanded in the 2022-23 academic year with the development of four additional courses (10 upper-division units) for elementary and middle school teachers, to help teachers improve their computer science teaching skills in key areas by qualifying for the Introductory Supplementary Authorization in Computer Science. The courses will be offered three times during the current 2024-25 academic year. In the first two years of offering the course, 38 teachers successfully completed the program. SchoolsFirst FCU funds combined with additional funding from the Math and Science Teacher Initiative ensured once again that teachers did not have to pay tuition for the training.

For the 2024-25 school year, CPP has partnered with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACoE) to apply for additional funding from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grant Program to supplement the remaining special funding from the Math and Science Teacher Initiative. The award to LACoE was supplemented with a cost match from SchoolsFirst FCU to ensure the program continues. With this support, CPP will cover tuition for 25 middle and high school teachers in the Specific Supplementary Authorization in Computer Science courses and 21 elementary and middle school teachers in the Introductory Program.

“We are grateful for the significant financial support and continued partnership of SchoolsFirst FCU” said Paul Beardsley, CEMaST Director and Professor of Biological Sciences.  “By educating teachers from a diversity of schools, including many from lower-resourced communities, their support makes computer science classes possible for many thousands of students throughout Southern California, so that they can pursue further education or a career in this important field.”

“Assisting teachers with professional development to improve their skills is a particularly important consideration in all fields of study related to science and technology,” said Josh Smith, vice president school and community relations at SchoolsFirst FCU. “Our partnership with Cal Poly Pomona strives to create a positive and rewarding experience for the teachers who complete these courses and earn their credentials to benefit their students.”