College student, coach takes UC path to bring more Black teachers to Ohio schools

Zyair Anderson, head coach for Colerain High School 's freshmen football team, gets up early in the summer months to train his students. On the field, Anderson tells his players to keep their eyes up and move quickly. He scolds them for any horseplay and has kids who show up late run laps.

He models positions and drills his quarterback on the plays the team is learning together, knowing this student will need to make tough calls in real time come fall.

"Which one is it?" Anderson asks his quarterback during a practice play. "Make a decision."

Anderson, 19, was in these boys' shoes not long ago. Now, he's working toward a degree in education at University of Cincinnati and wants to teach and coach kids in football, wrestling and track for many years to come. With the support of a university cohort that's recruiting more Ohio kids of color to become teachers, he knows he can achieve this dream.

University of Cincinnati's BIPOC Teacher Pathway Program and others like it aim to rectify the racial disparity in Ohio's teacher workforce. According to 2023 state data , more than 17% of Ohio's students identify as Black while less than 5% of the state's teachers identify as Black.

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And only 1% of Ohio's teachers identify as Hispanic, while Hispanic students have become the fastest growing demographic in Ohio schools.

University of Cincinnati has tried similar programs in the past. The college launched a diverse teacher program in 2005 through a grant from Toyota, but the scholarships only applied to Black students who went into math or science education. The program essentially "died off" after a few years, said Jonathan Breiner, associate professor of STEM education and chemistry and director of the BIPOC Teacher Pathway Program. Breiner worked with a colleague to figure out what worked and what didn't, and launched a new version of the program in 2011 that included an emphasis on mentorship.

The pathway program only attracted one or two students each year, Breiner said. But more recently the state put out a call for more programs like this − with funding available − and the university applied and secured those funds. This spring, University of Cincinnati ended its second year of the new and improved BIPOC Teacher Pathway Program with 17 students. It's focused on developing middle school teachers, but Breiner said they are expanding to other areas of education, too.

Breiner's goal is to have 25 students in the program at the end of next school year, and to add 10 students each subsequent year.

"While this, on the surface, is a diversity initiative, the research shows that as we diversify schools, outcomes for students of every single race improve," Breiner said. Because of that, Breiner said he's not so worried about efforts against diversity initiatives at the Statehouse in Columbus . "I can't imagine anyone hates diversity initiatives so much that they don't want every kid of every race to succeed, even folks that look like them. This program really is a win-win-win."

In 2019, Miami University began recruiting students from Aiken High School to participate in a teacher pathway program that provides financial and academic supports, similar to the program available at University of Cincinnati. Miami's goal is to graduate at least 100 new teachers through the program in the next decade.

And Ohio launched a "grow your own" teacher scholarship program this spring, providing up to $7,500 per year to students from low-income high schools who commit to teaching at their home district for four years after getting their degree. According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, 160 students accepted awards in this first round, including students from Cincinnati.

Anderson said he can see himself coming back to Colerain. The school has a special place in his heart. But he also knows there are plenty of other schools in the region that could benefit from having a Black male educator and coach, and he's interested in getting out of his comfort zone by trying a new district, too. He said he didn't have any teachers that looked like him growing up.

"My mentors were coaches that I've had in the past," Anderson said. He's friends with those coaches now.

Donaze "Donny" Gibson, one of Anderson's classmates at UC, had only one Black male teacher and three Black teachers total growing up in Maple Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. He, too, would like to give back to his alma mater someday. But Gibson said he's not in any rush. He has his sights set on a master's degree.

"Eventually I do want to be here," Gibson said.

Lockland to offer first College Credit Plus course through teacher pathway program

The pathway program is also reaching high school students through College Credit Plus, a program started in 2016 that allows students to receive college credit before graduating high school. University of Cincinnati is partnering with local high schools to offer education courses through College Credit Plus , which count at all Ohio colleges. So even kids who join the program in high school but decide not to go to the University of Cincinnati can benefit from those courses.

"I want them to come to UC," Breiner said. "But I want them to become a teacher even more."

College Credit Plus has consistently seen low participation from Ohio's Black students. In 2023, about 6% of students who participated in the program identified as Black, state data shows . Again, more than 17% of Ohio's students identify as Black.

And some majority-minority schools don't offer College Credit Plus at all. Lockland Local Schools, a small district north of Cincinnati, will offer its first dual credit course this fall through the University of Cincinnati BIPOC Teacher Pathway Program.

About half of Lockland's 456 students are Black, according to state data , and 15% of the district's students are Hispanic.

"We have to find a way to do a better job of putting adults in front of our kids that they can relate to. That's been a huge challenge," Lockland Superintendent Bob Longworth said. He's particularly concerned about his students that are learning English for the first time while going through school.

Because the district is so small, Longworth said, it's been difficult in the past to find qualified staff in-house that could teach a College Credit Plus class. But educators are qualified to teach kids how to become educators, so joining the teacher pathway program was a no-brainer, he said.

Typically, Lockland only sees a handful of graduates each year go on to two- and four-year colleges and universities. Of those, maybe one or two will pursue education, Longworth said. He hopes the pathway program encourages more students to at least consider becoming teachers.

Jenny Bole, a school psychologist at Lockland and director of the district's student wellness department, took students on a field trip to the university last year to gauge interest. She said more than 15 students are enrolled in the teacher pathway program and will take their first College Credit Plus class this fall.

"The kids just, their eyes just open up when they see things that are new. And they got to hear from students that are currently in the program," Bole said of the UC field trip. "You can't underestimate how impactful that can be to sit there as a Lockland kiddo looking up at this student at UC who looks like them, talks like them and is experiencing something that they may have not ever considered or didn't think was possible."

Cohort community matters: 'You always have somebody'

Anderson feels the impact of representation as a college student, too.

"Being in a room where I have a bunch of people that look like me and are doing the same profession, it makes me feel welcome," Anderson said. "And I haven't had that feeling in a school setting in a long time."

Because of the support he's gotten through the pathway program, Anderson said he's been able to coach, mentor and substitute teach while working toward his education degree.

"It's kind of one of those programs where you always have somebody," Anderson said. Last year he struggled with calculus, but his peer and professor mentors helped him through. "I wouldn't have that if I wasn't in this program."

The cohort also meets for monthly lunches so students can bond and support one another through their studies, especially at a predominantly white university.

Gibson, whose home district is made up of more than 90% Black students , said he's been able to find pockets at University of Cincinnati where he can be himself. He's president of the Minority Association of Future Educators and CEO of Brother 2 Brother, a program for Black male students.

But the pathway program has been instrumental, Gibson said. He said he's grateful for Breiner, who always makes sure the students have what they need.

"A lot of people would think that we need Black representation for a program like this," Gibson said. "But Jon does an amazing job at putting us in positions to succeed."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: College student, coach takes UC path to bring more Black teachers to Ohio schools