Point Park University Paves the Way for Accelerated Education Degree with Educators Rising Partnership Tuesday, April 28, 2026
High school students enrolled in an Educators Rising program can earn up to 21 college credits before they even set foot on campus, thanks to a new partnership between Point Park University and Phi Delta Kappa International.
Point Park accepts the highest transferable credits from Educators Rising in Pennsylvania, while other colleges typically accept six, nine, or at most 15.
“Point Park has shown an incredible commitment to innovation by recognizing that the future of the American classroom begins with how we support aspiring educators today,” said Christopher Clayton, Ph.D., director of education services at the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).
The Educators Rising curriculum is used nationwide in career and technical programs for high school students interested in exploring careers in education.
Clayton describes the program as “a sophisticated, research-based introduction to the teaching profession.”
Virginia Chambers, Ed.D., dean of the School of Education, agrees with that assessment. “Educators Rising is so rigorous that we could map 21 credits worth of competencies and objectives met through its curriculum,” she said. "The School of Education is working with districts across Pennsylvania on specific articulation agreements."
Those 21 credits can be applied to an accelerated course sequence that would enable education majors to complete college and enter the field in just three years (with summer semesters). That shaves a considerable amount off the total cost of a bachelor’s degree and gets qualified teachers into the classroom sooner, alleviating the teacher shortage.
“This collaboration between Phi Delta Kappa’s Educators Rising Program, PSEA and Point Park University is about more than just a transfer of credits;” said Clayton, “it is about a shared vision to professionalize teaching at the earliest possible stage and to ensure every student in the Commonwealth has access to a great teacher who was supported from the very start of their journey.”
Further distinguishing Point Park is two fully online bachelor's degrees in Special Education and PK-4, so students around the nation who complete the Educators Rising program can also have an accelerated pathway to Pennsylvania teaching certification.