As part of the workforce diversity initiative in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, Governor Moore has announced an expanded strategy, through the Grow-Your-Own-Educators Grant Program, to bring more men into the teaching profession. 

Early this week Governor Moore announced new initiatives to strengthen Maryland’s teacher workforce while uplifting young men and boys. The expanded program brings $19M more in grant funding from the recent HB 504/SB 429 to the Grow-Your-Own Educators Grant Program. Awards are intended to create stronger pathways for non-licensed school staff to become full-time teachers. According to the press release, men make up only 23 percent of educators in Maryland.

The administration cited a significant reduction in teacher vacancies over the past year—from 1,619 vacancies in the 2024-25 school year to 886 in the 2025-26 school year thanks to investments in teacher recruitment and retention initiatives. This next phase will now bring a greater focus on men by awarding priority consideration to school systems that demonstrate a plan for recruiting and retaining male educators.

Governor Moore’s remarks from the press release:

“Today, we accelerate our push to close the educator shortage by leveraging an untapped resource in our state: Maryland’s young men and boys. By making the choice to invest in our educators and our schools, our administration is helping every educator pursue their dream of teaching and inspiring the next generation.”

A component of this work includes a new partnership between Maryland’s Young Men and Boys Initiative within the Governor’s Office of Children and the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Formalized through a three-year memorandum of understanding, the institute will provide research, evaluation, and technical assistance. This partnership will be supported through a $6 million commitment of philanthropic support from the AIR Opportunity fund.