The Charles Sposato Graduate School of Education, Inc. (CSGSE) is a unique and successful graduate school of education that grants Master’s in Effective Teaching (MET) degrees. The mission of CSGSE is to produce outstanding novice teachers for schools that are serving low-income populations and to gain new insight into the nature of exceptional teaching and teacher training. Named after the founding principal of Match Charter School in Boston, the school embodies his core values of discipline, love of learning, and genuine connection with students.
The CSGSE was born out of a teacher residency program in Match Charter Public School called Match Teacher Residency (MTR). Since 2008, MTR has trained and certified outstanding first-year teachers. In 2012, they launched CSGSE’s two-year MET program to provide teacher-training residents with a more powerful alternative to traditional schools of education.
Unlike most traditional teacher preparation programs, the MET program is mapped backwards from the practical, real-world demands of working in the highest-performing urban public schools in the country. In the first year, MET candidates work full-time as tutors or assistant teachers in Boston-area public schools while receiving 20+ hours per week of training during evenings and weekends. After the first year, candidates earn a Massachusetts teaching license. Second-year candidates are then placed into full-time teaching positions in high-needs, urban charter schools and district turnaround schools. Candidates earn the MET degree after two years if, in addition to passing the internal practical examinations of the program, they show evidence of effectiveness during their first year of full-time teaching. Graduates have a track record of incredible success in high-performing urban schools. The program has trained over 350 teachers to-date, with cohorts of about 60 each year.
Learn more at www.sposatogse.org.
Partnering with the Lynch Foundation
The Lynch Foundation, with its history of investing in high quality alternative teacher preparation programs, was impressed by the MTR model. The Foundation built a close relationship with founder, Mike Goldstein, and provided critical support in 2010 to help grow MTR’s capacity to launch CSGSE as a standalone graduate school of education. In addition to the financial support, the Foundation provided critical technical assistance to help navigate the MA Board of Higher Education during the conversion from a training program to a full graduate school.
In 2019, the Foundation partnered with CSGSE again, recognizing the opportunity to pursue accreditation with the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). The ACCSC approved CSGSE’s initial accreditation in February 2021, which opens new doors to the school and its students, including availability of Federal aid and broadened career paths. The accreditation is crucial in helping CSGSE recruit and retain the strongest candidates and to alleviate financial challenges for its students, making the school a top choice for aspiring teachers.