6-02-2025 4:01am

Federal Workers Recruited

Maryland Launches $1M Grant Initiative to Transform Displaced Federal Workers into Teachers

Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced a $1 million grant program designed to help displaced federal workers transition into teaching careers while simultaneously addressing the state's critical educator shortage. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will distribute funds to 11 colleges and universities through the Teacher Quality and Diversity Program.

The initiative comes as Maryland faces more than 1,600 teacher vacancies statewide as of mid-March, while federal workers experience job displacement under new federal administration policies. The program represents an innovative approach to workforce development that leverages the skills and public service experience of former federal employees.

"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," Governor Moore said during a roundtable discussion at Montgomery College in Rockville. "This funding helps our federal workers land on their feet, while also addressing the teacher shortage throughout our state."

The grant program specifically aims to diversify Maryland's teaching workforce by drawing from the varied backgrounds and experiences of federal employees. Maryland Higher Education Commission Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai emphasized that former federal workers bring valuable skills to education.

"Former federal employees have the skills and experience needed to provide a high-quality education and diversify our classrooms to reflect our communities," Rai said. "By implementing this grant program, we are helping to ease the transition into meaningful and stable careers while closing the teacher shortage."

The program builds on existing alternative certification pathways, with institutions creating flexible, online, and accelerated routes to teacher licensure specifically designed for degree-holding professionals with substantial work experience.

Eleven Maryland institutions received funding, representing a mix of historically Black colleges and universities, community colleges, and public and private four-year institutions:

HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions:

Bowie State University will focus on training teachers for culturally and linguistically diverse students through its M.Ed. in ESOL program
Morgan State University's program addresses both teacher diversity and the employment crisis

Community Colleges:

Community College of Baltimore County is expanding teacher quality and diversity initiatives
Montgomery College's "ACET Flex: From Feds to Eds" program served as the model for the announcement

Four-Year Institutions:

University of Maryland campuses at College Park and Baltimore County received awards
Towson University, Salisbury University, Goucher College, McDaniel College, and Notre Dame University of Maryland round out the recipient list

The program represents part of a broader strategy by the Moore-Miller Administration to tackle Maryland's educator shortage. Earlier this month, Governor Moore signed The Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, which includes a national teacher recruitment campaign and the Grow Your Own Educators Program offering debt-free pathways to teacher licensure.

Montgomery College President Dr. Jermaine Williams highlighted how the program capitalizes on federal workers' existing expertise.

"Drawing on the talent and commitment of federal workers will empower students in Maryland to achieve even more," he said.

The initiative's focus on alternative certification pathways reflects national trends in teacher preparation, as states seek to remove barriers for career changers entering education. By targeting federal workers specifically, Maryland's program addresses both immediate workforce displacement and long-term educational needs.

The roundtable discussion that accompanied the announcement brought together higher education leaders and displaced federal workers already enrolled in transition programs, emphasizing the collaborative approach needed to make career transitions successful.

As federal employment policies continue to evolve, Maryland's proactive response demonstrates how states can leverage higher education partnerships to address multiple workforce challenges simultaneously while strengthening their educational systems.