Students at the College of Education

Students at the College of Education

TU's College of Education received a more than $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program.

The grant seeks to enhance the quality of Maryland’s teacher pipeline, university teacher preparation programs and teacher induction programs, thereby improving the academic achievement of preK–6 students in two local counties: Montgomery County and Baltimore County.

Towson University is the only university in Maryland and among just 18 FY2024 grant recipients in the nation to receive a TQP award.

The $5 million grant will be used to enhance the quality of Maryland’s teacher pipeline, university teacher preparation programs and teacher induction programs—improving academic achievement of prek-6 students in Montgomery and Baltimore Counties.

“Towson University’s College of Education has been a leader in education for 150 years in Maryland and the region. This grant will help the college meet and respond creatively to the challenge of the decreased teacher pipeline as well as the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation,” says Laurie Mullen, dean of the College of Education. “Under the leadership of thoughtful and passionate faculty, this grant will allow us to build infrastructure and support for students before, during and after their undergraduate teaching education.”

A Stronger Teacher Pipeline

Using the five-year, $5,153,884 grant, TU’s College of Education will effectively train more than 400 new elementary, early childhood, special education and English Learner teachers. Pre-service teachers will have the opportunity to learn from and receive guidance from 50 mentor teachers.

Through several partnerships—with Baltimore County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Community Colleges of Baltimore County, Montgomery College, Teacher Academy of Maryland, the Southern Regional Education Board, RMC Research Corporation, We Will All Rise and Prepared to Teach—Towson University will strengthen the teacher pipeline and focus on the retention of teachers within the first three years after graduation through improved induction programming.

By providing support and updated curriculum to pre-service teachers in high school or community college and then at TU, we can increase the number of teachers in high-need areas who are providing quality education to students.

Laila Richman, associate dean of the College of Education

“We know the first three years of teaching is a critical time, and we want to make sure there are systems in place throughout their program and beyond to support and retain new teachers,” says Laila Richman, associate dean of the College of Education and principal investigator (PI) on the grant. “By providing support and updated curriculum to pre-service teachers in high school or community college and then at TU, we can increase the number of teachers in high-need areas who are providing quality education to students.”

This is the first time the College of Education has been awarded a TQP grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Co-PIs on the grant include Janese Daniels, Ph.D.; Judith Guerrero, Ph.D.; Patty Rice-Doran, Ph.D.; and Greg Knollman, Ph.D.—all faculty members in the College of Education at TU.

For media inquiries, please contact Jamie Abell at .

About Towson University

Towson University is Maryland’s university of opportunities. With more than 150 years of experience pushing possibilities, TU is a nationally recognized leader in inclusive excellence, social mobility, research and discovery. As the largest university in greater Baltimore, TU’s momentum is always accelerating, with more than 20,000 students and 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and applied professional fields.

Located amid one of the East Coast’s cultural and economic epicenters, TU is a beacon and powerful catalyst in the Mid-Atlantic, partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations, impacting communities and fueling change. TU meets the holistic needs of each student to achieve success, a result of a deeply inclusive culture with a focus on equity among all students, faculty and staff.