Educate the State

Educate the State

Cowley College, Butler Community College, and Southwestern College are working together to make a secondary education degree more accessible and affordable.

Students earning an Associate of Arts from Cowley or Butler may transfer seamlessly to Southwestern College and enroll immediately in a secondary education program.

This public/private partnership allows students to obtain a secondary teaching license from the State of Kansas. 

What is Educate the State?

Kansas has a significant need for secondary teachers. Therefore, the state is working with both public and private colleges to increase enrollment in state-accredited education programs by offering tuition assistance to eligible students. This program offers a substantial scholarship for full-time students. Additionally, transfer students with an Associate’s degree maintain all credits and a pathway to graduation.

Scholarship Savings

After graduating from Butler Community College or Cowley College, students can complete their education degree from Southwestern College for $9,000 per academic year (fall and spring semesters).  

This scholarship equates to $30,000 in savings towards your degree!

Note: The Educate the State scholarship replaces all other institutional financial aid including the entitlement grants such as the competition grants, Cowley/Sumner, and Legacy Scholarships.

Additional Funding Sources: 

Students may be eligible for: 

• Federal Pell Grant
• Kansas Comprehensive Grant, (KCG). Students may qualify based on need and availability of KCG funding from the state of Kansas.
• Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship (through the Kansas Board of Regents, KBOR).  This funding is up to $5,536 per year for full-time enrolled students.

Credits Will Transfer

A student transfer agreement has been adopted among Kansas community colleges and private colleges. A student choosing to transfer from community colleges will maintain their credits and pathway to graduation. 

What are the Eligibility Requirements? 

• Graduate from a participating Kansas Community College (Butler Community College or Cowley College) with a GPA of 2.75.
• Transfer from Butler or Cowley College to Southwestern College.
• Enroll in a secondary education program (at least 12 credit hours per semester).

Southwestern College Secondary Programs

The following undergraduate secondary degree programs are available at Southwestern College:

• Secondary Licensure in Biology
• Secondary Licensure in Chemistry
• Secondary Licensure in English Language Arts
• Middle Level Mathematics Education (6-8)
• Secondary Licensure in Mathematics (8-12)
• Physical Education (pk-12)

Questions?

For Additional information about Educate the State or to enroll at Southwestern College, contact the SC Admissions Office at SCAdmit@sckans.edu or 620-229-6236.