Dr. Boyd Bradbury, Jeremy Kovash named honorees of MN Rural Education Association Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Boyd Bradbury and Jeremy Kovash were named the 2019 honorees of the Minnesota Rural Education Association Distinguished Service Award for their leadership, creativity and collaboration in creating a new statewide continuing education program for teachers. When the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) enforced credentialing standards for high school teachers to teach concurrent enrollment, Kovash and Bradbury collaborated to find a solution. They led a partnership between their two organizations Lakes Country Service Cooperative and Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) along with the Northwest Service Cooperative.

The result is 18 Online, a graduate initiative for high school teachers in Minnesota to gain the 18 credits they need to teach concurrent enrollment under the new credentialing standards – for free. Both tuition and books are covered and teachers anywhere in the state have access through the online program that includes flexible classes taught by MSUM faculty.

Dr. Fred Nolan, MREA Executive Director noted, “Jeremy and Boyd did not just think about their communities when developing this program. They had a bigger vision to impact our state.” 18 Online has served hundreds of teachers in all six economic regions in Minnesota and as of this fall, enabled teachers to earn nearly 6,000 credits for their benefit and the benefit of students across our state.”

More details of this award can be found at http://www.mreavoice.org/kovash-bradbury-honored-with-distinguished-service-award/.