ANNAPOLIS, MD—In an effort to address both the teacher shortage and the influx of displaced federal employees, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced this week that 11 colleges and universities in the state will receive $1 million in grants to support programs that help federal workers transition into teaching careers.
The grants, provided through the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s Teacher Quality and Diversity Program, will fund initiatives such as targeted training, licensure support, and school district partnerships. Governor Moore emphasized the importance of supporting federal employees impacted by recent administration changes, stating, “Maryland is mobilizing. We refuse to stand idly by while the new federal administration fires public servants without cause and are doing everything in our power to put Marylanders first.” This funding helps our federal workers stay employed while addressing the teacher shortage.
The governor announced the new grants during a roundtable with higher education leaders and displaced federal workers in the ACET Flex program at Montgomery College in Rockville. This initiative comes as Maryland faces a critical shortage of educators, with over 1,600 teacher vacancies statewide as of mid-March. The program aims to leverage the skills and experience of federal employees to fill these vacancies and diversify the teaching workforce.
“Former federal employees have the skills and experience needed to provide a high-quality education and diversify our classrooms to reflect our communities,” said Maryland Higher Education Commission Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai.
Participating institutions will offer flexible, online, and accelerated pathways to teacher licensure for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree. These programs will build upon the professional experience of federal workers to prepare them for successful teaching careers.
Governor Moore highlighted this program as part of a larger effort to bolster education in Maryland, citing the recently signed Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act. This act focuses on attracting fully licensed teachers to the state through a national recruitment campaign and the Grow Your Own Educators Program, which provides debt-free pathways to teacher licensure.
The 11 institutions receiving grants are Bowie State University, Community College of Baltimore County, Goucher College, McDaniel College, Montgomery College, Morgan State University, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Salisbury University, Towson University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and University of Maryland, College Park.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via the Maryland Governor’s Office
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