For over forty-five years the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education has worked to make the attainment of an advanced degree from CU Boulder more accessible and affordable for teachers in small rural Colorado school districts. Living and working even just fifty miles away from the metro area make driving to CU Boulder to attend graduate courses often unrealistic especially for working teachers.
After a hiatus of more than ten years in these districts the BUENO Center, in coordination with 27J -Brighton area schools, Weld Re 8 - Ft. Lupton & Hudson, Keenesburg, Lochbouie, Roggen - Weld Re- 3J School Districts, began a Masters/Endorsement field cohort in summer 2022.
The BUENO Center brings the Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity Master’s and Culturally Linguistically Diverse Endorsement program to teachers in rural districts by offering the field cohort experience in districts that have increasing numbers of emerging bilingual students. Our courses, instructors and expertise are offered in the school districts to give teachers the opportunity to attain an advanced degree from CU without having to drive to Boulder to do so.
For many of our field cohort students it is a chance to be part of group of like-minded educators who are eager to make positive changes in their often isolated communities. Dr. Kim Strong currently teaching this cohort states,
“Students in BUENO Center MA programs have a contagious passion for educational equity at all levels. From initiating project-based learning that takes them to school boards to ask for systemic changes to creating professional development sessions to help their colleagues better meet the needs of their culturally and linguistically diverse populations to revising their classroom environments to center the funds of knowledge of their bilingual and multicultural students and families, through the program they become agents of change throughout their communities."
From a student perspective cohort teacher Silvia Ortiz stated: “Being a Latina in a white-dominant profession can be isolating and frustrating. This program has amplified my voice and confidence to continue my efforts in advocating for my emergent bilinguals. I feel seen, heard, and validated in this program! (BUENO-NE Cohort, 2022)
For more information on BUENO field cohorts, please email Tammy Molinar-LeBlanc. For district data visit: sd27j.org, weld8.org, re3j.com.