MEDFORD, Ore. (Apr. 23, 2026) — Rogue Community College and four peer institutions across Oregon have been cleared to move forward in seeking final approvals to offer bachelor’s degrees in education, part of a statewide effort aimed at addressing a growing teacher shortage, particularly in rural communities.
On April 9, the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission approved Rogue Community College’s proposal for a Bachelor of Applied Science in Education, marking a key step toward launching the program. The college must still secure approvals from its accreditor, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, as well as the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation.
Rogue Community College is part of a consortium that includes Treasure Valley Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Columbia Gorge Community College and Linn-Benton Community College. The group collaborated on a data-driven Statement of Need that examined labor market conditions, employer demand and input from school districts and community partners.
Oregon is projected to face more than 3,000 licensed teacher vacancies within five years, with the most acute shortages in special education, bilingual education and rural schools. Roughly 2,000 teachers statewide are currently working under emergency or restricted licenses, according to the state’s 2024 Educator Equity Report.
“The shortage of qualified K-12 teachers in Southern Oregon has reached the point of crisis,” said Randy Weber, president of Rogue Community College. He said the program would create a local pathway into teaching in partnership with regional school districts and Southern Oregon University.
The consortium model is designed to expand access to educator training in geographically remote areas by using shared curriculum, online and hybrid instruction, and credit for prior learning. Officials say the approach is intended to reduce costs and make programs more accessible to students balancing work and family obligations.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our community,” said Jeanne Grazioli, superintendent of the Medford School District. “By creating an additional local pathway into teaching, we can even better support aspiring educators right here at home while building a strong, sustainable pipeline to meet the needs of our schools for years to come.”
The initiative also aims to address disparities in Oregon’s educator workforce. While 42% of K-12 students in the state identify as racially or ethnically diverse, only about 14% to 15% of educators do, according to the same report. Expanding access to teacher preparation programs for bilingual, first-generation and rural students is seen as a key step toward improving representation and student outcomes.
You can learn more about Rogue Community College here.
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