Gov. Mills Awards Nearly $1 Million in Grants to Build Teacher Workforce in Maine
Six schools will receive the money to implement apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
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Six Maine schools are receiving a combined total of nearly $1 million in state grants for educator apprenticeship programs.
The funding comes from the Maine Jobs and Recovery plan and overall efforts from the Gov. Janet Mills administration to connect employers with a skilled workforce, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Labor. Educator apprenticeship programs already exist in the state, but this new grant plans to expand that by preparing 200 new and existing teachers.
The programs also hope to build pathways for historically underrepresented populations in Maine’s teaching workforce such as people of color, those with disabilities and multilingual educators.
At a virtual press conference Monday afternoon, Samantha Dina, director of special projects for DOL, announced the six schools who will receive the money to implement apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. They are:
Brunswick School Department – $105,000MSAD 1 / RSU #79 – $75,000RSU #34 – $249,000Portland Public Schools – $250,000University of Maine Farmington – $144,000University of Southern Maine – $162,000
This builds on the more than $12 million awarded by Mills’ administration in 2022 to more than double apprenticeships in the state.
The Maine Department of Education also launched a national advertising campaign encouraging people to come teach in Maine. That campaign is being funded by federal emergency relief dollars.
The campaign website links to more than 850 education job openings across the state ranging from early childhood to postsecondary education.
Maine Morning Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maine Morning Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lauren McCauley for questions: info@mainemorningstar.com. Follow Maine Morning Star on Facebook and Twitter.
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