CS - Professional Development Grant

Maine's 130th legislature passed a bill, sponsored by Senator Matthew Pouliot, to create a pilot program that provides grants that support computer science professional development in Maine school districts!

This pilot program will award grants for the provision of high-quality, teacher-developed or teacher-led professional development for PK-12 computer science pedagogy and content. Grant awards will be distributed across all counties and among PK-12. Priority will be given to applicants that:

• Do not currently offer computer science learning opportunities;
• Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts;
• Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in computer science;
• Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality educator professional development that emphasizes integration of computer science into other course work and curricula or establishes or expands access to courses that offer college credit and other certificates of value, or both; and
• Collaborate or partner with other entities, including but not limited to other local education agencies, the business community, nonprofit organizations and private entities.

Grant awardees will engage in evaluation activities including interviews or surveys on the process, effect, and outcomes of the professional development, participate in a community of educators engaged in similar work, and submit a report or other product that showcases learning achieved through the professional development, including a reflective narrative of the professional development process. The Department of Education shall compile the submissions and make them available for educators across the State.

Applications are currently being accepted. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. There is no limit to the grant amount awarded per applicant; however, funds will be dispersed equitably across all applications based on county and throughout PK-12. Have questions? Want to learn more? Need help completing the application? Contact Emma-Marie Banks, MDOE Computer Science Specialist at emma-marie.banks@maine.gov