The W.K. Kellogg Grant supports the COE's Transformative Action Groups (TAGs) directed by College of Education faculty from across all departments. Originally, three groups were formed: one focusing on elementary education, one on secondary education, and one on early childhood. The TAGs work in partnership with three rural schools in three districts: a BIE Tribal School in San Felipe Pueblo (Early childhood), Bernalillo Public Schools (Secondary), and Albuquerque Public Schools (Elementary). The COE recently added a fourth TAG to support the preparation of Native American teachers who wish to pursue the New Mexico Administrative License. These teachers will have the opportunity to be school leaders in their own communities. 

The ECMC Foundation Grant has allowed us to place a cohort of eight student teachers at four high-need secondary schools, with close supervision and mentoring by master teachers and college faculty. Professional development efforts for cooperating teachers are also a part of this initiative, with a focus on training them to be effective mentors and supervisors of new teachers at the secondary level. We have embedded faculty at the four schools, serving to link each school to the community and the college. Faculty members work with each other and the community to facilitate the involvement of teacher candidates with community projects. 

The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) Grant supports the Accelerated Alternative Licensure Program (AALP) which provides intensive training and teaching licensure for STEM professionals in the Albuquerque Public School (APS) district. This is also a partnership with the Woodrow Wilson Foundation to address the shortage of math and science educators in the district. The AALP program has an intensive field component that is supported by course work, with mentoring and supervision from faculty in the College of Education and master teachers from APS. Scholarships are available to help students with tuition, books, and fees. The first cohort completed the licensure program in December 2015, and those students are now teaching in their own middle and secondary school classrooms across the APS district. The second cohort of ten students completed the licensure program in May 2017.