Description
The Institute for Urban Education (IUE) is a four-year program — the first undergraduate program of its kind in the United States — that leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary or middle school education. It is the goal of the IUE is to enhance the success of urban K-12 students in Kansas City and reduce high teacher turnover rates by producing exemplary teachers and school leaders who are prepared for, and committed to rewarding careers in urban schools. With a focus on teaching math, science and literacy, this program prepares teachers for success in urban classrooms by also introducing issues of social justice and multicultural learning styles. IUE students receive scholarships and, in exchange, commit to teach in a Kansas City area urban district following graduation. The students are supported through faculty mentors, peer tutors and a life coach to help them make the transition into college and achieve the high academic standards of the program.
The IUE was designed in partnership with the Kansas City community: school districts, teachers, parents, civic and youth organizations, and with national experts in urban teaching. The IUE partners with three of the areas urban school districts, the Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas and Hickman Mills school districts. Combined these districts serve over 50,000 K-12 students. Many of these students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program and 80-85 percent of them are members of a minority group.
Key Staff
Edward Underwood, Ph.D. is the Executive Director and the Kauffman endowed chair for the IUE. Dr. Underwood received both his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from Pittsburg State University, where he studied political science, history and education. He was awarded his doctorate in Educational Administration and African American Studies from the University of Cincinnati.
Jennifer Waddell, Ph.D. is the Associate Director of the IUE. Dr. Waddell received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Montana. She received both her Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Urban Leadership and Policy Studies from UMKC. The focus of her doctoral work was the retention of teachers in urban schools.
Accomplishments
• May 2009, the first IUE Class graduated and received contracts to teach in the three partner school districts.
• Twenty students have been accepted for the freshman class of 2009-2010, with a total of 67 students in the program.
• A goal of IUE is to improve Higher Education Attainment for Urban Youth. The outcomes include:
o 45% of IUE students are first generation college students,
o 67% of students are from urban areas, and
o 62% of students are of color.
• The average GPA of IUE students is 3.33. Students must maintain a 3.0 in order to remain in the program.
• The IUE boasts a student persistent rate of 91%.
Goals
• Secure funding for student scholarships and program operating expenses
• Become a national model for urban teacher preparation
• Increase retention and effectiveness of beginning teachers in urban schools through IUE’s New Teacher Assistance Program (NTAP)
• Enhance instructional effectiveness of practicing urban teachers through urban teaching certificate programs
• Continue offering opportunities for higher education attainment for Kansas City’s urban youth
• Monitor instructional effectiveness of IUE graduates through longitudinal research studies
To learn more about the IUE, please contact Denise St. Omer at 816-627-3417 or visit the IUE’s website at http://iue.umkc.edu/.
