NDMU Expands Public School Partnerships with $9.3M in Total Funding from State’s Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program

School of Education Adds New $4.4M State Grant to an Earlier $4.9M Award to Address the Teacher Shortage

BALTIMORE, Md. – Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Education is expanding its leadership role in addressing the teacher shortage, partnering with school districts on two awards totaling $9.3 million from the state’s Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program.

NDMU has received a new $4.4 million Grow Your Own Educators grant, adding to a $4.9 million award announced in the spring, to offer its distinctive teacher pathway programs to approximately 175 professionals in the Charles and St. Mary’s county public schools. As Maryland’s top private producer of newly licensed educators, NDMU is helping the districts develop a pipeline of qualified educators from within their own schools.

“The NDMU School of Education is thrilled to expand its partnership with the state of Maryland to offer teacher pathways programs to more professional staff in local school systems,” said Dr. Juliann Dupuis, dean of the NDMU School of Education. “The impact of the Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program is clear – more Maryland students will benefit from having fully licensed teachers who are committed to their school districts and the communities they serve.”

The Governor’s Office announced second-round funding for its Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program to strengthen Maryland’s teacher workforce, increase diversity in the educator workforce, and focus on high-need areas, including special education and early childhood education. The grant program funds debt-free pathways for more public school professionals to achieve teacher licensure.

“St. Mary’s County Public Schools recognizes that many of our most inspiring and successful teachers come to the classroom following non-traditional paths,” said Dr. J. Scott Smith, superintendent of St. Mary’s County Public Schools. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in our current paraeducators and know that our long-standing partnership with NDMU will yield deep benefits to our employees, students, and the community we serve.”

NDMU’s innovative teacher pathway programs provide flexibility for professionals through competency-based learning, convenient online courses, and multiple degree and licensure options. The public school staff can select the pathway that meets their academic needs and earn multiple teacher licenses in critical shortage areas, such as early childhood education, special education, and science. Those who have a bachelor’s degree can pursue a teacher license through NDMU’s Accelerated Certification in Teaching Program (ACT) – others will earn a Bachelor of Arts in education degree or a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) at NDMU.

“The NDMU School of Education has designed our teacher preparation programs to meet learners where they are to help them become fully licensed educators and transform the lives of students,” said Dr. Lisa Pallett, associate dean of the NDMU School of Education. “The Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program invests in public school professionals, so they can provide the best education for children in the state.”

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best “Regional Universities North” by U.S. News & World Report.