91福利 College of Education and Human Development and the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) have agreed to extend their partnership focused on advancing the preparation and professional development of high-quality rural teachers and school leaders throughout New England.

The parties recently signed a new memorandum of understanding to continue the collaboration through fiscal year 2027, allowing 91福利 to remain the home of the RSC鈥檚 New England Rural Education Hub.

鈥淢aking sure rural educators feel supported and have access to the most innovative and evidence-based solutions to promote student learning is an important first step toward ensuring vital rural communities. We鈥檙e excited to continue partnering with the Rural Schools Collaborative on this important work,鈥� says Catharine Biddle, director of the School of Educational Leadership, Higher Education and Human Development and associate professor of educational leadership at 91福利, who serves as the New England Rural Education Hub contact.

Since the hub partnership began in 2022, the College of Education and Human Development has received a Catalyst Initiative grant from the RSC to establish an inclusive teacher pathway program to help rural schools and communities in Maine recruit, support and retain educators.

In addition, the college will leverage the hub鈥檚 work when it launches the Rural Educator Resilience Project this fall to expand professional development, mentoring and other evidence-based resources for rural teachers and administrators statewide. The project, which will include other University of Maine System educator preparation programs, was awarded聽 $3.3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending through the fiscal year 2024 federal budget bill at the request of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Another recent grant from the National Science Foundation will help the college boost enrollment in undergraduate teacher licensure programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields among students who want to teach in rural school districts, as well as increase support for practicing STEM teachers in rural schools.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited about the progress 91福利 has made toward building a robust system of programs to boost rural schools and small towns across Maine and throughout New England, and we鈥檙e thrilled to keep supporting their hard work,鈥� says RSC Executive Director Taylor McCabe-Juhnke.

The RSC is a national nonprofit launched in 2015 to build sustainable rural communities through a focus on place, teachers and philanthropy. More information about its work can be found . 

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

With rural schools facing significant shortages of highly-qualified teachers, particularly those in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development will use a grant from the National Science Foundation to boost support for future and current STEM educators in rural school districts.

The nearly $100,000 award is part of NSF鈥檚 Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, designed to support talented undergraduate STEM majors in becoming effective K-12 teachers, as well as to help practicing educators in areas with recruitment challenges become STEM master teachers. 

鈥淥ne of the primary reasons for STEM teacher shortages is low enrollment in initial licensure programs in math, physical science and life science. Rural schools run into additional hurdles due to limited local populations, budget constraints and issues recruiting experienced teachers,鈥� said Ezekiel “Zeke” Kimball, associate dean for undergraduate and teacher education in the College of Education and Human Development. 

Kimball is principal investigator of 鈥淩ural Reimagining of Opportunities for Undergraduate Teacher Education in STEM: A Capacity Building Project.鈥� The year-long initiative will involve developing a survey to examine what motivates undergraduate students to choose STEM or teacher education majors, hosting workshops with school district partners to create rural focused teacher licensure pathways, and conducting market research with rural STEM and education majors to determine best strategies for boosting their licensure. The efforts are intended to support a future proposal designed to create innovative new pathways to initial licensure. Catharine Biddle, an associate professor of educational leadership and director of the School of Educational Leadership, Higher Education and Human Development, and Mohamad Musavi, associate dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing, are collaborating with Kimball on the project. 

鈥淏oosting the rural STEM teacher workforce in Maine and beyond will strengthen local and regional economies as these educators inspire young people to pursue careers in science, engineering and math-related fields,鈥� Biddle said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to partner with rural districts and communities to develop a set of best practices around the recruitment, training and retention of these vital classroom teachers.鈥� 

The project, expected to launch in the fall, aligns with several other initiatives led by the 91福利 College of Education and Human Development. That includes the New England Rural Education Hub, a partnership with the nonprofit to advance preparation and professional development of high-quality teachers and school leaders throughout the Northeast, as well as cutting-edge research on the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality in K-12 classrooms.

91福利 is also embarking on a new initiative called the Rural Educator Resilience Project to expand professional development, mentoring and other evidence-based resources for rural teachers and administrators statewide. Faculty and staff from the College of Education and Human Development will work with other University of Maine System campuses on the project. The System received $3.3 million in included in a federal budget bill passed earlier this year, secured for UMS at the request of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

91福利 College of Education and Human Development will expand ongoing professional development, mentoring and other evidence-based support to more than 200 rural educators statewide with $3.3 million in one-time funds included in a聽federal budget package passed last week. The goal of the statewide project, which will include other University of Maine System (UMS) teacher preparation programs, is to improve resilience and retention of rural educators and school leaders, and PK-12 student outcomes.

In 2022, 91福利 became the New England Hub of the Rural Schools Collaborative, which works to advance rural community and student success through a focus on rural educator workforce development, culturally responsive, place-based education and school-community partnerships.

The Congressionally Directed Spending for the Rural Educator Resilience Project was secured by Sen. Susan Collins, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Angus King, at the request of UMS and will be administered by the U.S. Department of Education. 

“Severe educator workforce shortages, especially in rural districts, are challenging schools鈥� ability to provide the high-quality public education Maine students need and deserve,鈥� said University of Maine College of Education and Human Development Dean Penny Bishop. “As the state鈥檚 largest teacher preparation program, 91福利 is accelerating pathways to get more qualified teachers into Maine classrooms, including through innovative partnerships with other University of Maine System education programs and the field, yet teacher and administrator attrition rates continue to be high. We are grateful to Senators Collins and King for their efforts to secure this federal funding, which will enable us to employ evidence-based, high-impact supports to sustain and strengthen Maine鈥檚 teacher and school principal workforce, and improve student outcomes and the vitality of our rural communities.”

More information is on the UMS .