FAQ About BLUE

Why should I choose the BLUE contract over the traditional contract?

Earning a master’s degree at no cost is the first answer most people think of when they talk about the BLUE Contract, but there’s so much more to the program than that. The purpose of the BLUE Contract is to better serve students by providing professional development, coaching, and support in the critical areas of pedagogy and equity. By joining BLUE at the end of the Induction program, you will continue your growth and practice in these areas while also obtaining credits that advance your salary and working towards endorsements that broaden your teaching opportunities. Teachers on the BLUE Contract continue to learn and grow just like we expect our students to learn and grow, and the contract allows this to happen without any expense to you.

How do BLUE and the Induction professional development in the first two years of teaching interact?

While whether to join the BLUE Contract is a choice that teachers will make late in their second year of teaching, all teachers new to the profession participate in Induction professional development top support onboarding to the district, strengthening of pedagogy, and application of the principles of equity and cultural proficiency essential to our district’s mission. By making the choice to join BLUE and begin coursework at Drake after the completion of Induction, you can make an informed decision about whether the focus of the program and a long-term commitment to the district are right for you.

What if I decide to leave the district before finishing the eight years?

Joining the BLUE Contract means committing to remain teaching in DMPS for 6 additional years once the contract is signed–this means that, including Induction, you will be promising to teach in the district for a total of eight years. We understand that there are circumstances when life may take you away from teaching with us. If you leave the district prior to completing the required years of the contract, you will be required to reimburse the district for costs associated with coursework at Drake. This is a prorated repayment, meaning that the closer you get to completely fulfilling the required number of years, the lower the total cost of that reimbursement will be to you.

What if I want to transfer to another building in DMPS?

The only other limitation placed on a BLUE Contract teacher aside from the required number of years is a restriction on the ability to request a transfer to a new building. BLUE Contract teachers are allowed only one transfer while on the contract. To initiate a transfer, you must request a transfer by completing a form available from the Office of Talent and Personnel.

What’s the GREEN Pathway?

The GREEN Pathway is a specific version of the BLUE Contract designed to support those initial-licensed educators who have obtained their conditional licensure to teach in Special Education. It does so by creating an alternate course pathway with Drake. Through this pathway, you will work towards your SPED endorsement right away in the first two years of teaching–simultaneous with your time in the Induction program. These courses are taken at no cost because they are the elective component of your BLUE Contract master’s degree; they are simply taken earlier than would have otherwise happened. Then, when the time comes in your third year of teaching to begin the required courses, you will do so with your Induction cohort. GREEN Pathway students still should anticipate graduating from Drake in December of your fifth year teaching, but you will have obtained your SPED endorsement before graduation in order to satisfy the requirements of your conditional licensure.