Dallas College Targets Teacher, Nurse Shortage with Expansion of Online Programs

Dallas, TX — [September 24 2024] — Dallas College, one of the largest community college systems in Texas enrolling over 100k students each year across credit and non-credit courses, today announced plans to significantly expand its online education offerings in K-12 education and nursing to address the growing shortage of teachers and nurses in the Lone Star State. In collaboration with instructional design consulting firm iDesign, the college produced a new suite of online courses within its School of Education and a fully online RN-BSN program.

“Texas faces a staggering shortage of teachers, nurses and other professionals whose services are needed to support the health and well-being of our communities. We need to use every tool at our disposal to create affordable and effective pathways for individuals who aspire to work in these critical professions,” said Dr. Andrea Butler, vice provost, e-learning at Dallas College. "This expansion of our online programs will broaden our impact throughout the region, offering access to degree programs and courses that can help aspiring educators and nurses achieve their career potential.”

The announcement comes at a time of increased focus on helping community colleges across the state expand programs that are tightly aligned with the needs of the state economy and a fast-growing regional labor market. In 2023, the Texas state legislature passed H.B. 8, a historic $683 million investment that funds community colleges based on outcomes in terms of the completion of academic milestones, degrees and certificates, with significant new incentives to align community college programming with workforce demand.

The new RN-BSN program will offer working nurses a flexible pathway to earning a bachelor’s degree, which can unlock opportunities for promotion and career advancement in the nursing profession. Meanwhile, the School of Education will launch an additional 16 online courses, marking a significant expansion of Dallas College’s offerings for current and aspiring educators.

To develop these online courses and degree programs, Dallas College has selected iDesign, an independent instructional design firm that has worked with more than 150 institutions and organizations to design, build and launch online and blended programs. Working in close coordination with faculty experts and instructional design staff from Dallas College, iDesign will assist in translating in-person courses into a virtual and online format capable of meeting the needs of community college students, who are more likely to juggle multiple academic, career and professional responsibilities.

"Texas community colleges are setting a national standard for meeting the complex needs of students and employers,” said Whitney Kilgore, chief academic officer of iDesign. “This collaboration will make it possible for Dallas College students to dramatically expand access to rigorous and high-quality programs that meet the needs of North Texas employers and the broad range of students seeking to advance their careers in K-12 education and nursing.”

The RN-BSN launched in June 2024 and new courses developed for the School of Education are set to launch in the fall of 2024. Each course will feature live, asynchronous teaching methods and cutting-edge, professional video production to ensure high-quality instruction. For more information on Dallas College's new online offerings, visit dallascollege.edu/online.

‍

‍