More than 39,000 employees of school districts in Missouri will receive a 5 percent discount when advancing their higher education through WGU Missouri, as part of three new partnership agreements recently signed.
The first agreement is with EducationPlus, a non-profit education consortium that serves approximately 30,000 teachers, administrators, support staff, and school board members in 61 public school districts in eight Missouri counties and two Illinois counties. The agreement aligns with the mission of EdPlus which is to provide member school districts with high-quality and cost-effective services, resources and leadership to achieve educational excellence for all students.
WGU Missouri also entered into agreements with Independence School District in Independence, Missouri, serving 2,200 teachers, and the 39 member districts of the Southwest Center for Educational Excellence (SWC) in Southwestern Missouri, which serves 7,000 employees. These agreements will allow school employees to pursue flexible, accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees at a low cost.
“We’re delighted to offer these educational opportunities to school employees across Missouri,” said WGU Missouri Chancellor Angie Besendorfer, who spent 25 years in K-12 education before taking the helm at WGU Missouri. “The partnerships will help many dedicated employees to improve their educational expertise and advance in their career with a quality, affordable degree.”
“Great educators are life-long learners,” said Dr. Jim Horton, Executive Director of SWC. “The partnership with WGU Missouri encourages educators to continue the pursuit of knowledge and skills to improve their craft.”
The collaborations will allow thousands of employees in the St. Louis area, Independence and Southwest Missouri to advance their professional expertise affordably while still meeting their work and family obligations. WGU Missouri offers flexible and supportive degree programs at tuition of only about $6,000 a year. It was established in 2013 by the state in partnership with the national online, nonprofit Western Governors University, whose secondary teacher-preparation program was given top honors nationwide last year by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Under the terms of the partnerships, employees can receive a 5 percent discount on tuition for up to four 6-month terms. WGU Missouri offers 17 teaching certification programs and 14 post-licensure programs at the bachelor’s and master’s level. The new partnership agreement will help current teachers pursue graduate degrees and will help paraprofessionals become licensed teachers, without putting their busy lives on hold.
WGU Missouri uses an innovative approach to learning called competency-based education, which allows busy, working adults to customize the schedule and pace of their college education, taking advantage of skills and knowledge they’ve already acquired. Students move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. While WGU Missouri’s degree programs are rigorous, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate, saving both time and money. Tuition for WGU Missouri’s teacher education programs, which has not increased since 2008, is charged at a flat rate of $2,890 per six-month term. For more information about WGU Missouri’s teacher education programs, go to missouri.wgu.edu/teaching.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).
More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
Contact for media inquiries:
Kelly MacNeil
314.677.2303
Contact for enrollment information:
855-948-8493