After seven years teaching at various primary schools—Hammersmith Preparatory School, Keith Primary and Infant School, and St Ann’s Bay Primary School—Kay-Ann Bartley, originally from Mandeville, Manchester, was ready to expand her professional horizons. 

She heard about and subsequently joined the Participate Learning programme, having recognised the programme would strengthen her pedagogical skills, enabling her to have a significant impact in education upon her return to Jamaica. 

“I wanted exposure to environments where curriculum alignment was precise, where data analysis shaped daily instruction, and where accountability systems were embedded into planning,” explains Bartley, who now teaches 5th grade at Margaret Willis Elementary School in Cumberland County, North Carolina. “I wanted to understand how high-performing educational systems operate at scale.”

Since joining Participate Learning in 2023, Bartley has experienced remarkable professional growth. During her first year serving as 5th Grade Reading and English Language Arts (ELA) Specialist, her students’ end-of-grade growth results placed her in the top 25 per cent in Cumberland County and across North Carolina. She has since been named Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026 and currently serves as 5th Grade Chair, School Improvement Team member and participates on the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council.

“What makes the programme particularly valuable is that support exists alongside accountability,” Bartley notes. “Participate Learning does not relocate teachers and leave them to navigate alone. There is consistent communication, guidance, and professional oversight throughout the experience.”

The programme provides comprehensive support and offers teachers competitive salaries ranging from US$41,000 to US$55,000 annually (approximately JMD 6,560,000 to JMD 8,800,000), medical coverage, airfare and visa process support for the teachers and their families.

Teaching in the United States has sharpened Bartley’s instructional precision significantly. “The most significant difference is the consistent and embedded use of data,” she explains. “Data is not reviewed occasionally at the end of a term. It is integrated into daily and weekly decision-making. Teachers analyse performance by specific standards, discrete skills and student subgroups, then adjust instruction with precision.”

Currently studying for her Master’s in Instructional Design and Educational Technology, which she will finish in May 2026, Bartley is preparing to bring enhanced strategies back to Jamaica. She plans to contribute at the systems level through curriculum development, structured teacher training frameworks and educational technology strategy.

“When I return the classroom in Jamaica, I intend to help strengthen structured data practices, develop intervention frameworks that identify learning gaps early and support responsible AI integration that reduces teacher workload while improving planning precision,” Bartley says.

She has already begun sharing her experience with educators in Jamaica, providing practical insight into the Participate Learning’s support structure and professional expectations. “Many teachers are reassured when they understand that Participate Learning provides structured guidance and consistent communication during the transition from Jamaica to the US and while they are here,” she notes. Bartley is among 60 teachers from Jamaica who have participated in this professional opportunity. She believes participation should be viewed as an investment rather than a loss. “Teachers return to Jamaica with enhanced instructional strategies, leadership experience and international exposure that ultimately strengthen Jamaica’s education system,” she explains.