On the Rise Academy Is Building Detroit’s Next Generation of Diverse Educators

At On the Rise Academy (OTR), Chief Human Resources Officer Ben Jackson introduces Detroit’s future educators to next-level certification and training. Equipped with concentrated guided coaching, cost-free tuition, guaranteed post-completion job placement and competitive pay, the homegrown alternative certification program is single-handedly redefining educator development in the Motor City.

Founded in 2021, OTR runs on five pillars unique to the academy’s competitive teacher development:

1) Recruit local

2) Build a diverse demographic base

3) No cost for teachers committed to teaching at DPSCD schools for a minimum of six years

4)  Shared alignment from training to the classroom and

5) Intensive training.

The academy exists solely on its own merit without any university assistance or funding and directly reflects the demographic it serves. 

More than 80% of candidates identify as non-white, and 80% to 86% are Black or African American, making the program the most diverse alternative certification program in Michigan. Diversity is especially prevalent among Black male educators, who account for approximately 20% of OTR graduates — the highest share in DPSCD’s teaching population and in any other teaching prep program. OTR places high standards on its cohorts from day one. 

Applicants must interview and teach a sample lesson that is graded then retaught, if necessary, based on suggested feedback. Potential teacher candidates undergo integrated training complete with specialized rubrics and curriculum preparing them for success within DPSCD schools. Cohorts who don’t meet OTR’s metrics for excellence set through a series of performance screens are immediately removed from the program with an opportunity to reapply next year. Before applicants can apply, they must meet minimum state requirements like holding a bachelor’s degree; however, hands-on experience with children outweighs rigid prerequisites when determining which applicants qualify. 

“MDE sets a threshold for any alternative certification program, that you [need] a bachelor’s and a 3.0 GPA. We will sometimes allow a slightly lower GPA. What we want is people who have experience working with kids,so we’re often pulling from our substitute teacher ranks,” said Jackson. “Sometimes we find substitutes [who have] never been certified, but have been in a classroom teaching and building relationships with kids. That’s a great place for us to focus [and| pull from. They’re committed to the success of DPSCD. We just want to get them certified and in a classroom by themselves.”

Although 50% of OTR’s potential talent pool includes past DPS/DPSCD students and roughly 70% are former DPSCD staff, enrollment eligibility isn’t limited to subjects with teaching experience. Jackson notes that some of the best candidates came from clerical, counseling and public safety backgrounds just to name a few.  Outside of teaching ability, a commitment to serving the community and investment in the welfare of Detroit’s youth are intangibles that OTR values most.

“That’s one of the things that’s really important for us when we’re screening for who can be in the program.  So much of it is practice based. This is what’s different [from what] you know if you go do it in a university,” said Jackson. “You’re going to be teaching really early on, and you’re going to get a lot of feedback. So how do you respond to that feedback, and can you make adjustments in the classroom?”

Immersive hands-on instruction with DPSCD teachers and OTR staff has been the differentiating factor in shaping the innovative program’s effectiveness and impact. OTR graduate Demarco James sought out the cohort when university-led certification programs failed to challenge him. He has since been elevated from DSPCD educator to the assistant principal at Communication Media Arts High School. 

“We’ve done some initial research internally around the effectiveness of our fellows. What we find is they are just as good as other first-year teachers, particularly coming out of alternative certification programs, and they’re actually better the longer they stay with us.” Jackson said. “By their third year, they’re outperforming third-year teachers who are coming from other programs. What we want is to really grow that improvement and [for] these teachers to be the absolute best in their effectiveness.” 

Six cohorts later, enrollment has tripled to roughly 180-185 current and past fellows, since On the Rise Academy debuted with 60-65 enrollees. As staffing demands rise, the need for certification in niche areas like special education or exceptional education and English as a second language (ESL) opens up pathways for continued growth. Approval for ESL endorsements forthcoming, Jackson foresees expansion into offering add-on certifications for existing teachers as the next natural step for OTR in producing effective teachers ready to mold subsequent generations of brilliant young minds.