Central Michigan University has been awarded $15 million from the Michigan Department of Education to help address the shortage of teachers in rural communities.
CMU is in the process of developing a new program called the Michigan Consortium for Addressing Rural Education Expansion and Retention (MiCAREER) Resource Hub. This program while equip rural residents who already have college degrees with the tools and training to receive a teaching license.
Completing the program will come at no cost to prospective teachers. The project aims to make teacher education accessible for people in rural areas across the state.
"We started working on the proposal in the early fall and started reaching out to potential partners to continue the work and to kind of think through and imagine what the hub could be," said Paula Lancaster, dean of the College of Human Services and Education at CMU.
Lancaster added that CMU is collaborating with other universities to ensure they are reaching every part of the state, including Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, Northern Michigan University and Saginaw Valley State University.
"Michigan is a huge state in terms of land mass," Lancaster said. "Each one of the partners brings to the table unique communities and unique community partnerships that they have developed."
Lancaster said she thinks most people don't realize that most of Michigan is considered rural and it is crucial to attract teachers into those areas for the health and well-being of youth, families and communities.
CMU is hoping to start admitting students to the program as soon as June.
Editor's Note: Central Michigan University holds WCMU's broadcast license.
