BALTIMORE — In a forward-looking response to Maryland’s urgent call to strengthen its educator workforce, Morgan State University is launching a transformative initiative that provides displaced federal workers with a streamlined pathway into the teaching profession. Backed by a $100,000 Teacher Quality and Diversity Grant from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), Morgan’s new Transitioning to Teaching: A Strategic Response to Both the Diverse Teacher Shortage and Employment Crisis in Maryland program provides strategic innovation and impact that answer the state’s dual challenge of teacher shortages and employment displacement.
The grant is part of Gov. Wes Moore’s $1-million statewide effort to help Marylanders — especially those displaced by recent federal layoffs — transition into new, stable careers in education. Morgan was among 11 institutions selected to receive funding to develop targeted retraining and licensure programs.
“With the launch of our Transitioning to Teaching program, Morgan State University is meeting the moment by transforming disruption into opportunity,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “This initiative is not only a solution to the teacher shortage but also a lifeline for former federal workers whose knowledge and lived experience will enrich classrooms across our state. We appreciate the support received from Gov. Moore and Maryland’s secretary of Higher Education, Dr. Sanjay Rai, to buttress Morgan’s role as both an anchor institution and a catalyst for change in Maryland’s education system.”
Morgan’s School of Education and Urban Studies (SEUS) developed the Transitioning to Teaching program to recruit diverse, college-educated individuals — including displaced federal workers and career changers — and support them through an accelerated, alternative teacher certification pathway.
Candidates — particularly those with degrees in high-need K–12 subject areas such as math, chemistry and special education — will be prepared to become licensed educators through enhanced, flexible means, including a redesigned one-year Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program and a new alternative certification program. The initiative emphasizes attracting individuals from groups underrepresented in teaching, partnerships with local school districts, and comprehensive support to ensure candidates become effective classroom teachers, while at the same time closing the gap between student and teacher diversity and building a sustainable pipeline for the development of qualified educators for Maryland schools.
“As Maryland continues to face a persistent teacher shortage, particularly in underserved communities and critical subject areas, we must find innovative ways to build a diverse, well-prepared educator pipeline,” said Glenda Prime, Ph.D., dean of Morgan’s School of Education and Urban Studies. “Morgan’s new program does just that by reimagining how we recruit and train new teachers. Former federal employees bring strong content knowledge and a deep commitment to public service, attributes that are essential in today’s classrooms.”
The Transitioning to Teaching program aligns with Maryland’s broader mission to diversify its educator workforce and reduce the existing 36% gap between the racial and ethnic demographics of students and teachers. With an estimated 30,000 displaced federal workers in the state and more than 1,600 teacher vacancies as of March 2025, Morgan’s initiative offers a timely and sustainable solution that will make a lasting impact.
MHEC praised the University’s proposal as exemplifying the critical support needed for Marylanders — particularly displaced federal workers and conditionally licensed teachers — to strengthen the state’s educator workforce.
“Former federal employees have the skills and experience needed to provide a high-quality education and diversify our classrooms to reflect our communities,” said Secretary Rai in the governor’s announcement. “By implementing this grant program, we are helping to ease the transition into meaningful and stable careers while closing the teacher shortage.”
Housed in Morgan’s Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD), Morgan’s program builds on the University’s nationally accredited teacher preparation programs and will further strengthen partnerships with local school districts to ensure participants receive equitable, targeted support.
For more information about the Transitioning to Teaching program or to apply, please visit https://www.morgan.edu/seus.
