ENABLER 3:
ELEVATING THE TEACHING PROFESSION
Strengthen regulations to increase the rigor of educator preparation programs.
Support Grow Your Own staff programs to expand teacher and school leader pipelines, increase diversity to better align with student demographics, and address educator shortages.
Develop guidelines for comprehensive educator Induction Programs for new teachers and school leaders to provide quality mentoring and support to ease the transition into the classroom.
Implement teacher and school leader Career Ladders that expand opportunities for growth and collaboration and increase compensation to attract and retain a high-quality and diverse educator workforce and to incentivize educators to work in low-performing schools.
Strengthen regulations to increase the rigor of educator preparation programs.
Support Grow Your Own staff programs to expand teacher and school leader pipelines, increase diversity to better align with student demographics, and address educator shortages.
Develop guidelines for comprehensive educator Induction Programs for new teachers and school leaders to provide quality mentoring and support to ease the transition into the classroom.
Implement teacher and school leader Career Ladders that expand opportunities for growth and collaboration and increase compensation to attract and retain a high-quality and diverse educator workforce and to incentivize educators to work in low-performing schools.
ENABLER
Maryland is elevating the stature of the teaching profession by: intentionally working to attract, recruit, and retain a highly qualified and diverse workforce; setting rigorous standards for educator preparation programs and induction; and implementing a career ladder system focused on development and growth opportunities for all educators.
GOALS & METRICS
Increase in percentage of new teachers of color as measured by the Fall Staff Collection report; increase in percentage of teachers retained over a 3-year period; and increase in percentage of teachers eligible for the Teacher Leadership Track of the career ladder.
Snapshot of Engagement
Teachers of color cited their own early experiences with lack of representation as having a profound impact on their decision to become a teacher & stay in the profession. Another major obstacle for increasing the number of teachers of color, according to participants, was the steep cost of becoming a teacher, suggesting the need for financial assistance in the form of tuition reimbursement, paid internships, and/or stipends for student teachers.
Snapshot of Engagement
Teachers of color cited their own early experiences with lack of representation as having a profound impact on their decision to become a teacher & stay in the profession. Another major obstacle for increasing the number of teachers of color, according to participants, was the steep cost of becoming a teacher, suggesting the need for financial assistance in the form of tuition reimbursement, paid internships, and/or stipends for student teachers.
Grow Your Own (GYO) Staff: Expanding the Teacher & School Leader Pipeline
Educator attrition and shortages signal the need to rethink how we recruit, attract, prepare, and retain a high-quality and diverse workforce. The Maryland State Department of Education aims to elevate the stature of the teaching profession through support for Grow Your Own staff programs.
Grow Your Own programs are strategies and partnerships between educator preparation programs, school district, and community organizations that recruit and prepare local community members to enter the teaching profession and lead in their communities. They are designed to expand teacher and school leader pipelines, address shortages, and increase diversity to better align with student demographics.
In 2022, MSDE awarded $47,486,941 in Maryland Leads grants to 23 local school systems to implement GYO programs. In Frederick County, there are efforts to grow certified behavior analysts, special education teachers, as well as the implementation of an administrator residency program to grow new school leaders. Similarly, Montgomery County offered tuition assistance for current high school seniors and paraeducators to pursue a teaching degree at Bowie State University or Montgomery College; and provided deliberate and structured mentorship opportunities for students interested in teaching careers to diversify hires and make teaching staff more representative of the district.
Grow Your Own (GYO) Staff: Expanding the Teacher & School Leader Pipeline
Educator attrition and shortages signal the need to rethink how we recruit, attract, prepare, and retain a high-quality and diverse workforce. The Maryland State Department of Education aims to elevate the stature of the teaching profession through support for Grow Your Own staff programs.
Grow Your Own programs are strategies and partnerships between educator preparation programs, school district, and community organizations that recruit and prepare local community members to enter the teaching profession and lead in their communities. They are designed to expand teacher and school leader pipelines, address shortages, and increase diversity to better align with student demographics.
In 2022, MSDE awarded $47,486,941 in Maryland Leads grants to 23 local education agencies to implement GYO programs. In Frederick County, there are efforts to grow certified behavior analysts, special education teachers, as well as the implementation of an administrator residency program to grow new school leaders. Similarly, Montgomery County offered tuition assistance for current high school seniors and paraeducators to pursue a teaching degree at Bowie State University or Montgomery College; and provided deliberate and structured mentorship opportunities for students interested in teaching careers to diversify hires and make teaching staff more representative of the district.
