PDK International Awarded $3.3 Million to Build Teacher Workforce Pathways in Maryland and South Dakota

ARLINGTON, Virginia, October 7, 2024—PDK International (PDK) proudly announces its new initiative to deliver innovative educator workforce development and training programs for Maryland and South Dakota’s young adults.

The project, funded by a U.S. Department of Labor grant, is part of a broader federal effort to meet the growing demand for a skilled workforce by improving job quality, preparing the next generation of educators, and expanding career pathways in critical sectors.

“Preparing students to enter the workforce and ensuring quality teachers in every classroom is a top priority,” said James F. Lane, Ed.D., CEO of PDK International. “Our latest poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools shows that Americans share this view.”

“PDK is committed to supporting Maryland and South Dakota in addressing teacher shortages while fostering their future leaders,” continued Lane. “Today’s young people face many challenges, and there is a dire need for more ‘Grow Your Own’ programs, where students can be inspired, engaged, and provided with resources that will empower them to fulfill their goals.”

PDK’s Teacher Pathway Project will leverage partners’ expertise to provide underserved high school students with career exploration, work-based learning opportunities, and hands-on teaching experience. The project will also provide students with the support needed to complete internships, obtain a paraprofessional license, and apply for teaching positions.

As part of the project, PDK will establish new Educators Rising chapters to expand access to these opportunities. The curriculum provided to these new chapters will serve as a supplemental resource to enrich the students’ learning experiences.

Anne Morris, Ed.D., PDK Director of Programs and the project’s principal investigator, emphasized the program’s viability as a teacher workforce pathway: “We are excited for the opportunities that this is going to provide Maryland and South Dakota’s high school students, including real-world experience in education through work-based learning, setting them on a pathway to becoming future educators and leaders.”

PDK’s key partners in this initiative include the National Education Association (NEA), Wide Angle Youth Media, South Dakota High Schools, Baltimore City Schools, the Maryland Department of Education, the Mayor’s Office of Employment for Baltimore City, and the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation. Additional partners include FourPoint Education Partners/Edifying Teachers, Dakota State University, Morgan State University, and Towson University.

Educators Rising has over 20,000 members across the United States in over 1,000 chapters. Educators Rising provides students with advanced training in teaching and learning for K-12 schools before they pursue a teaching degree, helping school districts address the shared critical need of securing future educators for their schools. With sixty percent of teachers living within twenty miles of where they went to school, schools using the Educators Rising model and curriculum are addressing the teacher shortage head-on by cultivating the interest in teaching in students’ formative years.

View the U.S. Department of Labor News Release

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About PDK International
Established in 1906, PDK International supports P-20 educators, researchers, and policy makers by strengthening their commitment to the profession throughout the entire arc of their careers. We are committed to elevating the profession through the intersection of research and practice. Through our core values of community, leadership, service, optimism, and excellence, we encourage educators and stakeholders to elevate the discourse and change the narrative around teaching and learning to ensure that every student has a high-quality education. www.pdkintl.org

About Educators Rising
In 2015, PDK International – in its 115-year commitment to the profession of education – launched Educators Rising, formerly the Future Educators Association (FEA). Today, Educators Rising is cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers. By working with aspiring educators who reflect the demographics of their communities and who are passionate about serving those communities through public education, Educators Rising is changing the face of teaching. educatorsrising.org