Orange County Public Schools

Pathways to Teaching Program

OCPS Human Resources and Rollins College are excited to announce the new Pathways to Teaching Program and Scholarship Program for current OCPS Paraprofessionals and Program Assistants.

The  Pathways to Teaching program allows current Paraprofessionals (Paras) or Program Assistants to earn their Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with Reading and ESOL endorsement from Rollins College and a guaranteed Instructional position with OCPS once completed. This is a unique opportunity for current qualified OCPS classified employees to learn in a small class size cohort-based program with high quality instruction from a top nationally ranked institution.

To qualify for the program, you must:

1. Be currently employed by OCPS (priority given to Title 1 Schools)

2. Recommended/nominated by your Principal

3. Hold an AA degree from an accredited institution (or 60 college credits to be audited by Rollins Admission Dept.)

4. Able to pass the General Knowledge (GK) section of the Florida Teaching Certification Exam (FTCE) before start of the program or within the first year of the program.

If you can meet all the above mentioned requirements, find out more about the program here and submit a free online application with Rollins today!. You may save and return to your application at any point before final submission.

Scholarship Information:
Upon acceptance by Rollins College into the cohort, employees at a Title 1 school are eligible for free textbooks, a laptop and normal hourly rate during mandatory internship. The internship will usually be completed at the end of the second year of the cohort. These incentives are only available to employees at a Title 1 school due to federal mandates. Textbooks are to be used for following cohorts and laptops returned upon completion of course or withdraw.

For more information or questions: