More than a dozen paraprofessionals at Pascual LeDoux Academy in southwest Denver are pursuing teaching degrees online through Grand Canyon University (GCU). This development comes as the number of paraprofessionals and school counselors has grown by 25% from 2012 to 2022, outpacing teacher growth, according to a 2024 study by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Sara Snyder-Poole, principal of Pascual LeDoux Academy, said most of her teacher’s aides are Latina mothers. “We are in a tougher neighborhood in southwest Denver, and we have 90% on free and reduced lunch every year,” she said. She described her paraprofessionals as hard-working women with “wonderful hearts” who often express their goal to become teachers.
Snyder-Poole invited Jean Manning-Clark, a university development counselor from GCU, to speak with staff about opportunities for further education. Manning-Clark encouraged them to visit GCU’s campus in Phoenix. “Many of them are single moms and have busy lives, but just to have somebody say, ‘You can do this,’ makes a difference,” Manning-Clark said.
After visiting the campus, several staff members decided to enroll in GCU’s online degree programs. Guadalupe Martinez, a veteran paraprofessional with four children and a granddaughter, joined Diana Cardona Garcia in enrolling last January. Others soon followed after seeing that it was possible to balance work, family responsibilities and studies.
Currently, more than a quarter of the school’s staff are enrolled as GCU online students working toward bachelor’s degrees in education. They participate in the College of Education’s National Center for Teacher Preparation scholarship and cohort model, which allows them hands-on learning experiences while completing coursework online.
“It is great for culture. I don’t want anyone to feel stuck. I believe in growing people. I believe in giving people a challenge. I love that’s what they are doing. It makes my heart happy,” Snyder-Poole said.
The group supports each other academically and personally. Valeria Zarate noted how important peer support has been: “It was really important for Diana and me to have that support with one another and, eventually, we became that support for the rest of them.”
Martinez explained some challenges faced by those returning to school after many years or studying English as a second language: “Even learning how to write an essay when I hadn’t been in school for 25 years. What does this have to do with teaching?” she asked herself before realizing its importance for communicating with parents.
Zarate added that teamwork is central: “We are like a team. It’s like a support group, really. If any of us are struggling … we have all learned to help each other and push each other.”
Dr. Meredith Critchfield, dean of GCU’s College of Education, commented on the benefits: “Our National Center for Teacher Preparation scholarship and cohort model gives paraprofessionals the opportunity to get hands-on learning experiences in the school in which they’re employed while also reducing financial barriers and supporting student persistence by cohorting paraprofessionals together with peers.”
Snyder-Poole praised additional support provided by Manning-Clark: “Jean comes to our school and hangs out in the lounge and will meet with people on breaks or lunches just to help with homework questions. It’s different than what others do for an online program.”
Manning-Clark expressed optimism about their future: “It is going to make an amazing difference in their lives and their families,” she said. “It gives them a whole new bright future.”
Martinez described her motivation as seeing students learn: “What I like about teaching is just seeing the kids’ faces… They are really proud of themselves, having that proud moment when they say, ‘I can do it.’”
Grand Canyon University operates as a private Christian educational institution based in Phoenix, Arizona according to its official website. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs—including education—both on campus and online as detailed on its website. The institution emphasizes Christian values while supporting students’ academic progress according to its site, and has received high rankings for nursing, campus life and education programs per Niche.com cited by GCU.
