District staff told the Board of Education on March 26 that St. Mary's County Public Schools is expanding multiple “grow‑your‑own” pathways to address teacher shortages in Southern Maryland, including high‑school Teacher Academy programs, registered apprenticeships and partnerships with regional higher‑education institutions.

Presenters said the district is the first in the county to register a teacher apprenticeship with the U.S. Department of Labor and that an apprenticeship innovation grant will provide additional tuition support and expanded mentoring. The district has worked with the College of Southern Maryland and Towson University on a 2+2 pathway and hybrid cohorts that allow paraprofessionals and apprentices to complete coursework outside the duty day. Staff called attention to barriers identified by paraprofessionals — scheduling, tuition cost, mentorship needs — and said negotiated agreement changes increase tuition reimbursement for staff in certification pathways.

Officials also announced a teacher draft fair on Saturday, March 29, at Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School; as of the March 26 meeting they said 68 candidates had signed up for interviews with principals and school leaders. The draft fair is intended to identify candidates for openings and reduce classroom vacancies at the start of next year.

Dr. Farrell (district staff) summarized the region's pipeline challenge: statewide teacher‑preparation enrollments have declined and Maryland has seen a 50% drop in the number of candidates entering teacher preparation in the last decade, presenters said. Locally, SMCPS started last school year with 15 classroom vacancies — improved from prior years — and the district is pursuing multiple routes to produce more certified teachers who can return to the county.

District staff said they will continue to partner with higher‑education institutions, strengthen induction and mentoring for conditionally licensed teachers, and use the apprenticeship grant and other supports to reduce barriers to credentialing.