Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools (PITAS)

Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools (PITAS) is designed for para-professionals, educational assistants, and others in Native-serving schools across Arizona who want to become certified K-8 teachers. You will earn either your bachelor’s or master’s degree in Elementary Education and teaching certification in two years, while you stay in your home community and continue working in your school. Classes will be delivered in a hybrid format that accommodates your work schedule; and you will participate in occasional weekend community residencies and a summer residency at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

The first PITAS cohort began in October 2022, and it will end in June 2024. We hope to offer another PITAS cohort, which will begin either Fall 2023 or Fall 2024. Stay tuned for updates and email us at nativeservingeduators@nau.edu to let us know you are interested!

PITAS is designed to allow you to stay in your home community and school while also earning your degree to become a teacher! In partnership with the College of Education, INE staff will work with the PITAS cohort to ensure each person’s successful journey through coursework, graduation, and into a teaching position.

PITAS cohort members will receive a small stipend and laptop. As an admitted student in the BSED/MED Elementary Education program, you are eligible to participate in the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA) which will cover your tuition and mandatory fees after all other scholarships and gift aid are applied. To receive this funding, you will need to complete a FAFSA every year along with seeking ATA support, and remain in good academic standing at NAU. As a result of receiving this funding, you will commit to teaching at an Arizona public school for the number of years you receive the funding.

PITAS was developed because Indigenous leaders and educators requested a pathway for community members to become certified classroom teachers. Housed in NAU’s Institute for Native-serving Educators (INE), PITAS centers Indigenous educational approaches and knowledge. Our goal is to prepare culturally responsive teachers for schools serving Arizona’s 22 Native Nations.

Eligibility criteria

Individuals working as Para-Professionals, Educational Assistants, etc. in schools on or bordering any of Arizona’s 22 Native Nations are eligible if they can provide a fingerprint clearance card and have the following:

For the bachelor’s degree pathway:

  • 45 units of coursework
  • ENG 105 or equivalent
  • MAT 155 or equivalent
  • 2 lab science courses
  • EDF 200 or equivalent
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5
  • Fingerprint clearance card

For the master’s degree pathway:

  • A completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
    • GPA of 3.0 = full admittance
    • Below 3.0 undergraduate gpa must petition the College of Education Admissions Committee to achieve conditional admittance with allowance to achieve 3.0 in graduate-level work with first nine (9) graduate credit hours
  • College Algebra or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
  • ENG foundation composition course(s) with a minimum cumulative English GPA of 3.0
    • If the English composition GPA is not 3.0, the applicant can complete one of the following NAU courses (or an advisor approved writing course) with a minimum grade of B: ENG 105, ENG 205, 210, 211, 220, 270, 302W or 310W.
  • One lab science with a minimum grade of C
  • A copy of IVP fingerprint clearance card

For the full list of requirements, please refer to the “how to get started” tab.

How to get started

*Please note we are not currently accepting applications for PITAS, but if you are interested in our next cohort, please email nativeservingeducators@nau.edu.

  1. Gather your unofficial transcripts
  2. Contact the Assistant Director of INE  and Anchor Faculty for PITAS program Jimmy (James) Snyder: 505-860-6133, James.Snyder@nau.edu
  3. Set up an appointment with Josh Perkins (NAU Coordinator) www.calendly.com/naujoshperkins 
  4. Jimmy and Josh will assist you through the application process
  5. Click here to see the full list of prerequisites for the bachelor’s program, and click here for the prerequisites for the master’s program

For questions about program requirements and application, contact Josh Perkins: 602-298-4014, northvalley@nau.edu

PITAS schedule

The program is two years. Virtual classes (on Zoom) are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-8pm. The cohort has occasional weekend in-person meetings and a two-week summer residency at NAU in Flagstaff.

Benefits of program participation

  • The program is designed for para-professionals and others working in Native-serving schools
  • You will remain in your community while completing your courses synchronously online (via Zoom)
  • Cohort members are eligible to apply for ATA funding, which covers tuition and mandatory fees after all other scholarships and gift aid are applied
  • Cohort members will receive a laptop and an $800 stipend each semester
  • All education classes will be taken with the cohort, and classes will be designed for relevance to teaching in Arizona’s Native-serving schools
  • Faculty and staff will provide mentorship and support