| Baltimore Schools mirror the rest of the nation in a | | | | The Baltimore Schools' scholarship program, while |
| shortage of qualified and available teachers. The most | | | | unusual, is not the first of its kind. Florida's Urban |
| recent recruitment attempt involves a | | | | Academies initiative in Broward County Schools |
| "grow-your-own" method that is slowly cropping up | | | | created a similar program in 2000 that has placed 360 |
| around the country. The Baltimore Country district of | | | | teachers to date. 91% of those placed have stayed |
| Baltimore Schools awarded 3 college scholarships this | | | | with the district for over 3 years. Maryland's |
| year for students to pursue education degrees. The | | | | Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant |
| scholarship recipients will be trained and mentored in | | | | Program gives scholarships to residents in careers |
| Baltimore Schools, and will agree to teach in the district | | | | with shortages, such as nursing and teaching. And a |
| upon graduation. | | | | program sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield gives |
| The Baltimore Schools' scholarship program was | | | | out grants of $40,000 per year to student nurses to |
| developed to help fill the 900 vacancies expected for | | | | earn advanced degrees. A district in Illinois has an |
| the coming school year. National requirements for | | | | innovative program that is investing $3 million in training |
| "highly qualified" teachers make the job of filling | | | | non-traditional teachers like parents and career |
| Baltimore School teacher positions in math, science | | | | changers. |
| and special needs especially challenging. The 2001 No | | | | The success of those programs is part of what |
| Child Left Behind Act raised standards nationally for | | | | encouraged Baltimore Schools to "grow-their-own" |
| teacher requirements. While this has many positive | | | | crop of teachers for the coming year. Part of the goal |
| outcomes, the reality is that districts like the Baltimore | | | | is to keep valued graduates from leaving the state. |
| Schools are struggling to find good teachers and | | | | The outlook of the Baltimore Schools' newest |
| enough of them. | | | | recruitment tactic is so good that other local districts, |
| Baltimore Schools hope to award 15 scholarships next | | | | like Hartford County, are considering the idea. |
| year, and eventually 60 annually. The scholarships pay | | | | With college tuition increasing, and schools trying to |
| for $4,000 worth of tuition and expenses each year. | | | | raise to both state and national standards, the |
| Donald Peccia, the Assistant Superintendent of Human | | | | Baltimore Schools may find their success in |
| Resources and Governmental Relations for Baltimore | | | | non-traditional methods. School administrators also |
| Schools was quoted in a Baltimore Sun article as | | | | hope that local Baltimore School graduates will have a |
| saying, "Just recruiting at school job fairs and colleges | | | | sense of ownership in the success of the district |
| is not going to cut it. We need to be not just creative | | | | where they grew up. |
| and innovative, we need to get the best of the best." | | | | |