Six Maine schools are receiving a combined total of nearly $1 million in state grants for educator apprenticeship programs.

The funding comes from the Maine Jobs and Recovery plan and overall efforts from the Gov. Janet Mills administration to connect employers with a skilled workforce, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Labor. , but this new grant plans to expand that by preparing 200 new and existing teachers.

The programs also hope to build pathways for historically underrepresented populations in Maine’s teaching workforce such as people of color, those with disabilities and multilingual educators.

At a virtual press conference Monday afternoon, Samantha Dina, director of special projects for DOL, announced the six schools who will receive the money to implement apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. They are:

Brunswick School Department – $105,000MSAD 1 / RSU #79 – $75,000RSU #34 – $249,000Portland Public Schools – $250,000University of Maine Farmington – $144,000University of Southern Maine – $162,000

This builds on the in 2022 to more than double .

The Maine Department of Education also launched . That campaign is being funded by federal emergency relief dollars.

The campaign website links to across the state ranging from early childhood to postsecondary education.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maine Morning Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lauren McCauley for questions: info@mainemorningstar.com. Follow Maine Morning Star on and .