ORONO — More than 20% of Maine’s K-12 public school students qualify for special education services, one of the highest rates in the nation, according to the University of Maine, in a news release. At the same time, schools across the state continue to face teacher shortages, including a shortage of qualified special educators. In rural communities, smaller pools of potential teachers and transportation and housing challenges compound staffing difficulties. 

The University of Maine aims to address this shortfall by helping aspiring special educators in rural communities earn master’s degrees that lead to state certification, with tuition fully covered.

Project MAINEd (Maine Adaptive Intervention Network for Educators in Disabilities) is a new initiative launching this fall with support from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs. It will provide full-tuition scholarships and other financial assistance to help participants complete UMaine’s fully online, 36-credit Master of Education in special education or its accelerated 4+1 program for undergraduate students. These programs prepare provisionally certified special education teachers, educational technicians and students for full certification in Maine. 

“It’s challenging for schools everywhere to recruit and retain qualified special educators, but rural schools face distinct barriers,” said Sarah Howorth, associate professor of special education in UMaine’s College of Education and Human Development and director of Project MAINEd. “Our goal is to help people who are already living and working in rural Maine become fully certified special educators so they can stay in their communities and fill critical positions in local schools.”

Howorth and Project MAINEd co-director Krystle Merry are recruiting the first cohort. They aim to help at least 35 educators earn their master’s degrees and become certified over the next five years, according to the news release.

Ben Greenlaw, superintendent of Maine School Administrative District 1 in Presque Isle, said the rural northern Maine district has had success promoting educational technicians who live and work in the area to teaching positions. 

“These are people who have proven themselves to be effective educators, and because they live here, and were likely raised and attended school here, they are more likely to stay here,” said Greenlaw.

He said MSAD 1 often works with University of Maine System campuses, where most of the state's classroom-ready teachers earn theirdegrees, to ensure educational technicians meet certification requirements.

Recruiting and retaining special education teachers remain significant challenges because of the demands of the positions, he said. 

“Special education teachers are working directly with our highest-need learners, they have significant paperwork and legal compliance requirements, they are often managing the work of ed techs, and are in frequent communication with parents and families,” said Greenlaw. “I think rural Maine school districts will benefit from any program that invests in and supports ed techs who want to become certified special educators, especially where it gives them the knowledge and skill to help them address the demands of the job.”

UMaine’s special education master’s degree program is approved by the Maine Department of Education under Pathway 1, meaning graduates are automatically recommended for state certification as teachers of students with disabilities. 

Students can pursue certification in high-incidence disabilities, preparing them to support students with specific learning delays, emotional or behavioral needs, or executive functioning challenges. They also can choose low-incidence disabilities, preparing them to work with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, severe intellectual disabilities or extensive support needs.

Merry, an assistant professor of special education, said the initiative allows rural educators to complete their degrees without leaving their jobs. 

“Our master’s program is designed for working educators, with a mix of asynchronous online classes and virtual evening classes,” said Merry. “Students who are ed techs or provisional teachers can complete any required field experiences or internships in the buildings where they already work. We also provide access to one-on-one mentoring and coaching with experienced special education teachers across the state.” 

UMaine’s special education faculty also partner with state and national organizations, including the Council for Exceptional Children and the Maine Department of Education, that serve special educators and children with disabilities. 

Master’s students can connect with these organizations for additional learning opportunities in evidence-based special education practices, modified literacy and mathematics instruction, digital accessibility and assistive technology. Other topics include rural educator recruitment and retention, licensure and workforce development, family and disability engagement, artificial intelligence literacy, and remote observation and instructional coaching.  

People interested in Project MAINEd can receive application announcements and other updates by completing the Project MAINEd mailing list form.

-