Notre Dame of Maryland receives $4.9 million state grant to help address teacher shortage

Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Education will partner with three public school districts on a $4.9 million state-funded initiative designed to reduce teacher vacancies and help develop fully licensed teachers, according to a university news release.

The grant, awarded through the Maryland State Department of Education’s Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program, is the largest academic grant in NDMU’s history. More than 70 pre-licensed professionals from school systems in Charles, Montgomery and Worcester counties will enroll in NDMU’s bachelor of arts in education program and complete classroom apprenticeships, earning their degrees in three years.

The funding is part of a $19 million investment awarded to 13 local school systems through the Grow Your Own program, which was expanded in 2025 under the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act signed by Gov. Wes Moore (D).

“The NDMU School of Education is excited to partner with the state of Maryland to provide a sustainable model for teacher preparation and collaborate with local school systems to prepare more licensed teachers,” said Dr. Juliann Dupuis, dean of the NDMU School of Education. “The Grow Your Own program creates a pipeline for professionals who are already working in local schools to support the educational success of their students.”

Participants will receive academic coursework and mentoring while working in local classrooms and may pursue multiple licensures in teacher-shortage fields, including special education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

“Everyone wins from the Grow Your Own program,” said Dr. Lisa Pallett, associate dean of the NDMU School of Education. “The program supports the professionals preparing to become licensed teachers, the school districts where they work, and ultimately, the K-12 students who will receive a high-quality education.”

According to the release, NDMU is the state’s largest private producer of newly licensed teachers and one of three university partners in Maryland’s state-sponsored registered teacher apprenticeship program.

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