Maryland Gov. Wes Moore visited Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus on Tuesday to announce a new program to help displaced federal workers prepare for teaching jobs.
To support the new Teacher Quality and Diversity Program, the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) will provide $1 million in grants to 11 colleges and universities. The grant recipients will help program participants secure jobs in education through targeted training, licensure support and school district partnerships.
“This funding helps our federal workers land on their feet, while also addressing the teacher shortage throughout our state,” Moore said.
Creating accelerated pathways
At Montgomery College (MC), $100,000 in grant funding will support a redesigned version of the current Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET) model.
Since 2006, the college has trained teachers through the ACET model with the goal of attracting career-changers into education and accelerating the placement of professionals with industry experience into Maryland classrooms. MC partners with the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on the program.
The redesigned program – named ACET Flex: From Feds to Eds – will intentionally target displaced federal employees, many of whom bring deep subject-matter expertise, leadership experience and a strong sense of public service.
Additionally, a dual-cohort model will provide a track for conditionally certified Maryland teachers to reach full licensure through differentiated coaching, extended internship opportunities and residency-year options.
“Displaced federal workers have invaluable knowledge, leadership skills, and a commitment to public service. This initiative provides them with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive as educators in our schools,” said Deidre Price, MC’s senior vice president for academic affairs/college provost.
Community College of Baltimore County also will receive grant funding for its proposed Expanding Teacher Quality and Diversity program.
The Teacher Quality and Diversity Program funding is the latest effort from the Moore-Miller Administration to help address Maryland’s teacher shortage. Earlier this month, Moore signed The Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, which will bring more fully licensed teachers to the state through a national recruitment campaign and the Grow Your Own Educators Program, which supports debt-free pathways to obtain a teacher’s license.
