Educators Rising is a community-based movement, in which chapters at schools feed teacher preparation programs at institutes of higher education with the support of State Departments of Education and local funders and foundations. These entities come together to provide a clear pathway to increase teacher diversity and teacher quality. Learn about your part in the movement.

Not sure of available funding for Grown Your Own Programs? Explore our Funding Options (PDF).

In addition, Grow Your Own programs are an allowable expense of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds! Spend down your funds to ensure the sustainability and consistency of your Educators Rising programs!

Our Community

High School/Middle School Students

  • Embrace the calling of teaching as a profession
  • Learn technique and get clinical experience as an accomplished teacher even before college
  • Get recognized as a student leader and an advocate for education

College Students

  • Be an active voice in the future of education
  • Find support from mentors and other like-minded aspiring educators
  • Develop programming and advocate for diversity in local districts and schools

Teachers/Administrators
State/Regional Coordinators

  • Build a gold-standard community-based grow your own pathway for teachers who reflect the diversity of your community
  • Use proven standards and best practices to mold the next generation of teachers
  • Connect with like-minded educators across the country and tap into co-curricular resources, a rigorous curriculum, and timely micro-credentials

Higher Ed Connections

  • Build an Educators Rising Community with districts with dual credit support to boost enrollment numbers
  • Get impassioned, diverse candidates most likely to graduate and stay in the profession
  • Recognize your outstanding students in the most rigorous education honor society
  • Boost your enrollment by becoming an Educators Rising Partner Institution by recognizing future educators and providing support outside the classroom.

Movement Supporters

  • All movements require support, so whether it is advocacy, time, or funding, your help is needed to ensure the future and face of education
  • There will always be urgent issues, but the need for teacher diversity to reflect the classroom will always be important; your help is needed now
  • The PDK Association is leading a charge to identify supporters in all four pillars – schools, universities, policy makers, and funders – to be a part of the mission today

Partners & Sponsors

Pathway

Educators Rising is a community-based model, in which chapters at schools feed teacher preparation programs at institutes of higher education with the support of  State Departments of Education and local funders and foundations. These entities come together to provide a clear pathway to address teacher shortage and educators reflect the communities they serve.

Educators Rising is a career and technical student organization (CTSO) in which 1) Chapters provide our 51% diverse students a place for support and networking, a strong 2) Curriculum delivers a structured way for students to prepare for their future profession, while 3) Competitions give students a chance to prove themselves as professionals, and 4) Conferences provide a national stage in which to network and be recognized for their achievements to the profession and develop the, 5) Collegiality that comes from being part of a network, a family of professionals, and a movement.

Educators Rising Collegiate provides Teacher Prep and Education Policy Programs a reliable pipeline of passionate aspiring educators from high school programs. Our collegiate chapters help grow the profession by offering supports to keep students on the path to graduate and get certified, while lowering the access gap with respect to content and ability to pass state summative assessment requirements.

After all, it costs an average of $10,000 to recruit and onboard a teacher and almost 60% of teachers come back and teach within 20 miles of where they went to school. With 51% of Educators Rising members being students of color AND being 400% more likely to stay with their aspirations from high school to enter the teaching field than to enter other fields (such as medicine, law, or engineering), shouldn’t your community have an Educators Rising Program to ensure that you can grow your own teachers?

Educators Rising is a community-based model, in which chapters at schools feed teacher preparation programs at institutes of higher education with the support of  State Departments of Education and local funders and foundations. These entities come together to provide a clear pathway to address teacher shortage and educators reflect the communities they serve.

Educators Rising is a career and technical student organization (CTSO) in which 1) Chapters provide our 51% diverse students a place for support and networking, a strong 2) Curriculum delivers a structured way for students to prepare for their future profession, while 3) Competitions give students a chance to prove themselves as professionals, and 4) Conferences provide a national stage in which to network and be recognized for their achievements to the profession and develop the, 5) Collegiality that comes from being part of a network, a family of professionals, and a movement.

Educators Rising Collegiate provides Teacher Prep and Education Policy Programs a reliable pipeline of passionate aspiring educators from high school programs. Our collegiate chapters help grow the profession by offering supports to keep students on the path to graduate and get certified, while lowering the access gap with respect to content and ability to pass state summative assessment requirements.

After all, it costs an average of $10,000 to recruit and onboard a teacher and almost 60% of teachers come back and teach within 20 miles of where they went to school. With 51% of Educators Rising members being students of color AND being 400% more likely to stay with their aspirations from high school to enter the teaching field than to enter other fields (such as medicine, law, or engineering), shouldn’t your community have an Educators Rising Program to ensure that you can grow your own teachers?

As one of the largest Grow Your Own Programs at the high school level in the United States, Educators Rising looks to continue serving our members at the collegiate level by recommending education programs that supply them with support throughout their college careers. The colleges and universities we partner with work to diversify the profession, offer recognition for future educators, and provide support outside of the classroom through Educators Rising initiatives.

Learn more about our Educators Rising Partner Institution program and how Educators Rising supports students through our partner institutions of higher education.

What We Offer

Educators Rising Curriculum

Help the next generation of great teachers realize their full potential.

The Educators Rising Curriculum emphasizes fundamental teaching practices that are critical for high school students to develop and take their first steps on the path to becoming accomplished professionals.

Teaching Fundamentals: Skillsets and Mindsets is built upon six key modules from the Educators Rising Curriculum. The program introduces students to the education profession and builds interest in an Education & Training program while encouraging a standard of excellence.

Beginning to Teach Micro-Credentials
As our students develop teaching skills, they deserve recognition for their growth. Micro-credentials (or digital badges) are performance-based assessments that allow rising educators to showcase their growing skills.
Standards for Rising Educators

All Educators Rising Curriculum materials are anchored by the Educators Rising Standards. Developed with support from the National Education Association (NEA), these seven standards define what high school students exploring teaching need to know and be able to do to take their first steps on the path to accomplished teaching. The standards were created by a committee of accomplished educators via the professional consensus model developed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Membership Resources
The Educators Rising Membership Portal, your go-to guide to all national network activities and content to help you develop the skills of a great teacher.
National Conference/ Competitions

The Educators Rising National Conference is a unique opportunity for students and their teacher leaders to connect and learn together.

Educators Rising National Competitions are performance-based competitive events in which aspiring educators demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and leadership in education.

Scholarships and Recognition
The PDK Educational Foundation invests in the future of education by awarding over 100 scholarships a year to individuals interested in pursuing a career in education. Learn more about our scholarship program.

The Educators Rising National Honor Society serves to elevate the image of the teaching profession by highlighting high-achieving high school students.

As one of the nation’s most prestigious education honor societies, Pi Lambda Theta serves to recognize outstanding collegiate students who intend to pursue careers in education.

Student Voices
Educators Rising believes in student voices being heard in the most important educational discussions. We’re a student organization and students are our leaders. Educators Rising helps students develop the strong leadership traits found in high-quality educators by offering various opportunities for student leadership.
Student Leadership
Elected by their peers, the national student leaders are external ambassadors and internal thought leaders. They engage in critical education conversations at the national level to provide a student perspective and ensure that Educators Rising students have a voice in program development. Meet our National Student Officers.
Partnership Opportunities
Together we can transform the way we recruit and prepare the next generation of great teachers. Partner with us!
Sponsorship Opportunities
Connect your organization to educators committed to social justice and equity. Learn more.
Advocacy
Become part of the movement and change education to elevate the profession. Join the effort to advocate for educational equity and diversify the teaching workforce.
Professional Development
Professional learning is a continuous process which you engage in to hone your knowledge and skills as an educator. Educators Rising wants to support you in your professional development, and will soon be offering trainings for Teacher Leaders. Check back here as we make our online sessions and professional development content available!

Donate

Your gift to Educators Rising gives passionate young people an opportunity to explore the teaching profession in authentic and meaningful ways. More than 52% of Educators Rising members are students of color who will diversify the teacher pipeline and ensure every child has an effective teacher.

In addition to your gift, please share the urgency of this mission with your charitable friends or help us identify patrons and partners who might be able to help. We direct impassioned students into teacher preparation programs immediately so your impact is now.