Benefits to Colleges and Universities

  • Expands the reach of the Post-Secondary School's mission to students in elementary, middle school and beyond, creating a deep and abiding partnership with public schools and the broader community.
  • Enhances the quality of Post-Secondary School students’ experiences by serving as a demonstration site consistent with the Post-Secondary School’s pedagogical theories and practices that would otherwise be difficult to practice or observe in public schools.
  • Allows Post-Secondary School faculty and students to work side-by-side as educators, including opportunities for:
    • Faculty to act as lead Horizons teachers, allowing them to practice and model what they teach throughout the year.
    • Students and recent graduates to serve as Horizons assistant teachers or interns, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of what they are learning year-round through live classroom experience.
    • Faculty and students to explore teaching methods without the public school backdrop of high-stakes testing.
  • Creates funding opportunities and synergies, including:
    • Paying students through work-study programs.
    • Raising scholarships to support graduate students.
    • Attracting donors that may not otherwise be drawn to the Post-Secondary School's mission.
    • Increasing alumni engagement in response to the addition of a Horizons program within the Post-Secondary School.
  • Expands the pool of applicants to the School of Education by:
    •  Offering opportunities to involve undergraduate students as Horizons volunteers. 
    • Attracting a broad spectrum of undergraduate students considering teaching careers in low-income communities to enroll in the graduate school.
  • Demonstrates the value of the Post-Secondary School’s and School of Education’s contribution to the community through the impact of the Horizons program and the diverse student teaching experience of the School of Education graduates.