Racine Sun

A state initiative to help grow Wisconsin’s teaching ranks has received new funding, both Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced on Feb. 14.

Madison ABC affiliate WKOW reported that the Teacher Training and Recruitment Grant Program under the DWD’s Expanded Wisconsin Fast Forward Program has $1 million available.

“I’ve always said that what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state, and that’s why we have prioritized providing resources to our educators and our schools to ensure every kid in every community has access to a quality public education,” Evers, a Democrat, said in a press release issued by his office.

The application window for this round will remain open through March 4, WKOW reported.

According to the station, Wisconsin nonprofits can request up to $500,000 to recruit, train and later license teachers in accordance with Department of Public Instruction standards.

The governor’s office said the training is crafted for educators in low-income and urban areas.

“Investing in our teachers so that they can provide high-quality education is an investment in both our current workforce and future workforce generations,” DWD secretary-designee Amy Pechacek said in the release.

Evers first proposed inclusion of the increased funding round in the state’s 2019-2021 biennial budget.

WKOW reported that a pair of grants of almost $500,000 each were awarded to Milwaukee’s Forward Collective and the Urban League of Greater Madison.

One hundred seventy-two new teachers were trained using the grants.

City Forward's director of strategy and communication Isral DeBruin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it looks to apply for another grant, stating the funding can help bring about more teachers of color.  

"I don’t think any one of these programs can be scaled big enough to meet the enormous need," DeBruin told the publication.

The winners will be announced on April 22.