UMaine, RSC to continue partnership supporting rural schools and communities

The University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) have agreed to extend their partnership focused on advancing the preparation and professional development of high-quality rural teachers and school leaders throughout New England.

The parties recently signed a new memorandum of understanding to continue the collaboration through fiscal year 2027, allowing UMaine to remain the home of the RSC’s New England Rural Education Hub.

“Making sure rural educators feel supported and have access to the most innovative and evidence-based solutions to promote student learning is an important first step toward ensuring vital rural communities. We’re excited to continue partnering with the Rural Schools Collaborative on this important work,” says Catharine Biddle, director of the School of Educational Leadership, Higher Education and Human Development and associate professor of educational leadership at UMaine, who serves as the New England Rural Education Hub contact.

Since the hub partnership began in 2022, the College of Education and Human Development has received a Catalyst Initiative grant from the RSC to establish an inclusive teacher pathway program to help rural schools and communities in Maine recruit, support and retain educators.

In addition, the college will leverage the hub’s work when it launches the Rural Educator Resilience Project this fall to expand professional development, mentoring and other evidence-based resources for rural teachers and administrators statewide. The project, which will include other University of Maine System educator preparation programs, was awarded  $3.3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending through the fiscal year 2024 federal budget bill at the request of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Another recent grant from the National Science Foundation will help the college boost enrollment in undergraduate teacher licensure programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields among students who want to teach in rural school districts, as well as increase support for practicing STEM teachers in rural schools.

“We’re excited about the progress UMaine has made toward building a robust system of programs to boost rural schools and small towns across Maine and throughout New England, and we’re thrilled to keep supporting their hard work,” says RSC Executive Director Taylor McCabe-Juhnke.

The RSC is a national nonprofit launched in 2015 to build sustainable rural communities through a focus on place, teachers and philanthropy. More information about its work can be found online. 

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu