Bilingual Teacher Pathway

Teaching to transcend all barriers

Welcome

The Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) is a teacher preparation program designed to fill critical shortages of bilingual education/ESL teachers in the Portland metropolitan area. This is accomplished by recruiting and supporting bilingual/bicultural educational assistants so they can become licensed teachers. The BTP program is only open to qualified candidates at specific school districts.

Admission criteria

Selection for admission to the BTP Program is a competitive process. Qualified candidates will be selected based on district recommendations and an application evaluation. Yearly cohorts (a cohort is a group of students that go through the program together) will not exceed 35 students and begin each fall term. To be eligible to apply to the BTP Program, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Be employed either part-time or full-time by a school district that has an Intergovernmental Agreement with Portland State University
• Be eligible for admission to Portland State University – NOTE: If you are a non-native English speaker please be sure to see Portland State University's webpage for information on the TOEFL exam. Remember, you must meet this requirement BEFORE applying for admission to PSU.
• Be bilingual/bicultural
  • Bilingual - Oral and written proficiency at the near native level, evidenced through interview and essay
  • Bicultural - Ability to relate in a socially acceptable manner with members of a cultural group other than your own
• Have an endorsement from your school district liaison