Funding available to help recruit and retain teachers

There is $1 million in grants available for the Teacher Training and Recruitment Grant program, to train and recruit teachers, where shortages are most prevalent in Wisconsin.

“Our educators work every day, to do what’s best for our kids, and it’s vital we continue to recruit and train talented workers in our education workforce, and address our statewide teacher retention problem,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “This grant program will provide much-needed funding, and bolster and strengthen our state’s educator pipeline, to help ensure our kids, our schools and our workforce, have the support and resources they need to be successful.”

The grants, which cover two years of program costs, are available through the Department of Workforce Development’s (DWD) Expanded Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF) program. Wisconsin non-profit organizations can apply for up to $500,000 to recruit, train and license teachers, to meet the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) guidelines, for serving qualifying school districts.

“All students in Wisconsin, have the right to a top-notch education and we’re investing in training teachers, so that they can deliver high-quality education to fuel our workforce of the future,” said DWD secretary Amy Pechacek. “Demographic shifts and other trends present challenges for some classrooms, and these grants help ensure that kids are not being left behind.”

The WFF program has funded two rounds of awards in 2020 and 2022, that benefited 10 schools’ efforts to train, recruit and mentor educators.

Under the WFF program, the funds are only available to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations. Applications are due by 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 16. For additional information or to download an application, visit wisconsinfastforward.com.