The Office of Human Resources and Development continues to offer higher education partnership opportunities to MCPS employees who are seeking teacher certification, continuing professional development, or who are pursuing career advancement. To be eligible for any MCPS higher education partnership, one must be a permanent, benefits-eligible MCPS employee. Temporary and non-employees can explore permanent employment opportunities via MCPS Careers.
All information sessions will be offered virtually, unless otherwise noted. Please continue to review this webpage for current partnership opportunities. Details on how to register for virtual information sessions are published weekly in The Bulletin as well as the Higher Education Partnerships monthly newsletter.
The Office of Human Resources and Development works with local universities to provide tuition reimbursement and additional support at the undergraduate and graduate levels for individuals seeking teacher certification, continuing professional development, or pursuing career advancement opportunities. Partnership programs focus on expanding the candidate pool with respect to applicants representing diverse backgrounds and systemic areas of critical need. These programs involve extensive MCPS field experiences, supplemental training, and supervisory support by colleges, universities, and MCPS.
Partnerships are one option for employees. Employees, in permanent, benefits-eligible positions, may also identify and pursue programs of study from accredited colleges and universities. Employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement to support some of the tuition costs. Details can be reviewed on the Tuition Reimbursement website.
The partnerships for teacher preparation target employees, in permanent positions, who want to pursue careers in teaching. These partnerships provide pathways for individuals to meet the requirements in the state of Maryland to earn initial teaching certification.
The partnerships for continuing education and graduate certificates target employees who hold current teaching certification and who want to continue their education by pursuing post-baccalaureate certificates and/or master's degrees in content areas other than their initial certification.
The partnerships for school leadership development target employees who are experienced, tenured teachers who want to pursue school-based leadership or supervisory positions within MCPS. These partnerships offer pathways to earn a master's degree or certificate leading to Administrator I (ADMIN I) certification in Maryland. To be eligible for partnerships in school leadership, individuals should have 3 or more years of successful classroom teaching experience.
Certification Area: Special education
Eligibility: Employees interested in earning their master’s in special education while working as a paraeducator or other permanent school-based employee are eligible for the program and, pending budget approval, are eligible for tuition reimbursement.
Length of Study: 2-year program
Degree: Master of Science
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (JHU) Dr. Alexandra Shelton, ashelt18@jhu.edu
Program Website: JHU SET-IT and RISE-TC Partnership
Deadline: Accepting Applications
Certification Area: English, secondary math, secondary science, chemistry, physics, technology education, computer science, Spanish, French
Eligibility: Permanent, temporary, and non-employees
Length of Study: 6-month teaching institute and internship + 1-year resident teaching
Degree: Non-degree--State of Maryland approved alternative certification
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (MC) Dr. Glenda Hernandez Tittle, Glenda.HernandezTittle@montgomerycollege.edu
Program Website: MC ACET
Deadline: Accepting applications
Certification Area: Early childhood, elementary, special education, secondary math, secondary science
Eligibility: Support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: Varies – approximately 60 credits or first two years or a 4-year degree
Degree: Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) – which transfer to any state of Maryland university and many private universities
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or Dr. Zeporia Smith, CREATETeacherCohort@montgomerycollege.edu
Program Website: MC CREATE
Deadline: Accepting Applications
Certification Area: Various
Eligibility: MCPS conditionally licensed teachers who are required to complete coursework for licensure
Length of Study: Approximately 9 months
Degree: N/A - coursework is eligible for graduate credit
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or Marjorie Guadarrama, marjorieg@moreland.edu
Program Website: Moreland University TEACH NOW
Deadline: Accepting Applications
Certification Area: ESOL, special education, secondary math, computer science, Spanish
Eligibility: Support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: multiple years
Degree: Bachelor’s and graduate alternative certification
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or Sarah Gruen, sgruen@ndm.edu
Program Website: NDMU CAUS (Bachelors) Program and NDMU ACT (Alternative Certification) Program
Deadline: Rolling admissions; Currently accepting applications
Certification Area: Elementary Education and Special Education (Dual Certification)
Eligibility: Employees interested in earning their bachelor's degree in elementary education (grades 1-6) and special education while working as a paraeducator or other permanent school-based employee are eligible for the program and, pending budget approval, are eligible for tuition reimbursement.
Length of Study: 3 years – part time program
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Jennifer Schnur, jschnurr@towson.edu
Program Website: B.S. in Elementary Education/Special Education (part-time for MCPS staff)
Deadline: Accepting Applications for Fall 2025 Cohort (with Summer 2025 start date)
Certification Area: Special education
Eligibility: Support professionals and special education conditional hires in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 3 years – 1 course approximately every 8 weeks
Degree: Master of Teaching (MAT)
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Eric Kuhn, epkuhn@towson.edu
Program Website: TU MAT in Special Education at USG
Deadline: Accepting Applications for Fall 2025 Cohort
Certification Area: Elementary Education—general education grades 1-6
Eligibility: Conditionally certified teachers and support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 2 years (34 credits)
Degree: Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (UMD) Theresa Robinson, tnebrob1@umd.edu and Carolina Napp-Avelli, cnapp@umd.edu
Program Website: UMD CITE (UMD CITE FAQ 2025 and UMD CITE Brochure)
Deadline: Accepting applications.
Certification Area: computer science, mathematics, biology, chemistry, earth space science, or physics
Eligibility: Support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: multi-year; 1-2 years in the MAT program
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (UMUC) Cheri Temoney, cheri.temoney@umgc.edu
Program Website: UMGC
Program Deadline: Accepting applications
Certification Area: TESOL
Eligibility: Support professionals in permanent positions of 20 hours or more and have earned permanent status
Length of Study: 2.5 years
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (UMBC), or Mary Tabaa, tabaa@umbc.edu
Program Website: UMBC TESOL
Deadline: Accepting applications
Eligibility: MCPS employees who hold teacher certification
Length of Study: 2 years
Certification Area: This program is designed to prepare for transitioning into the role of a reading specialist and/or gain current research-based information to assist with effective literacy instruction with a particular focus on racially, culturally, linguistically and socioeconomically diverse students.
Program Requirements: Must hold a bachelors degree and be a certified teacher to be eligible for this program.
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (BSU) Dr. Jacquelyn Sweeney, jsweeney@bowiestate.edu
Program Website: Bowie State University Reading Education program
Deadline: Accepting applications
Eligibility: MCPS employees who hold teacher certification.
Length of Study: 2 years
Certification Area: graduate certificate
Program Requirements: bachelors degree
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (MCPS/McDaniel) Heather Yuhaniak, Heather_E_Yuhaniak@mcpsmd.org
Program Website: McDaniel Equity and Excellence in Education
Deadline: Recruitment begins Spring 2024 for Fall 2024 Cohorts
Eligibility: MCPS employees
Length of Study: Four semesters--one course per semester
Certification Area: The program of study provides participants with the skills and methods to be effective and competent teachers of students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia and other related learning differences.
Program Requirements: Must hold a bachelors and masters degree to be eligible for the graduate certificate from Notre Dame of Maryland University
Program Contacts:(MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (NDM) Donna Schissler, dschissler@ndm.edu
Program Website: NDMU Graduate Certificate in Dyslexia
Deadline: Accepting applications
Eligibility: Pre-K-12 teachers certified in content areas other than special education
Length of Study: 3 years – 1 course approximately every 8 weeks
Degree: Master of Education
Certification Area: special education
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Eric Kuhn, epkuhn@towson.edu
Program Website: Towson at USG MEd in Special Education
Deadline: Accepting applications for Fall 2025 Cohort
Eligibility: Teachers certified in special education and ESOL
Length of Study: 3 years – 1 course approximately every 8 weeks
Degree: Master of Education
Certification Area: special education
Program Contacts: (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (TU) Eric Kuhn, epkuhn@towson.edu
Program Website: Towson at USG MEd in Special Education
Deadline: Accepting applications for Spring 2025 Cohort
Eligibility: certified elementary, middle, or special education, teachers
Length of Study: 3 years
Degree: Master of Education. No GRE Required.
Certification Area: Math add-on endorsement with a qualifying score on PRAXIS
Program Contacts: (MCPS) (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (UMD) Dr. Sara Kirschner, skirschn@umd.edu
Program Website: UMD MEd in Middle Grades Mathematics
Deadline: Accepting Applications
Eligibility: certified elementary, middle, or high school teachers who hold certification in content areas other than ESOL
Length of Study: 4 semesters -- Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Summer 2022
Degree: Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC).
Certification Area: TESOL add-on endorsement with qualifying score on PRAXIS
Program Contact: (MCPS) (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (UMBC) Mary Tabaa, tabaa@umbc.edu
Program Information: UMBC Post-baccalaureate Certificate in TESOL
Deadline: Accepting Applications
Eligibility: MCPS employees with 3 or more years of successful classroom teaching experience
Length of Study: 3 years masters degree; 2 years graduate certificate
Certification Area: Administrator I
Program Contacts: (MCPS) (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (Hood College) Dan Shea, shea@hood.edu
Program Website: Hood College for Educational Leadership
Deadline: Accepting applications for Fall 2024 cohorts
Eligibility: MCPS employees with 3 or more years of successful classroom teaching experience
Length of Study: 3 years master’s degree; Administrator I Certification
Certification Area: Administrator I
Program Contacts: (MCPS) (MCPS) Brittany Ramey, Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org or (McDaniel) Susan Flanders, gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu
Program Website: McDaniel College
Deadline: Accepting applications
Brittany (Mackel) Ramey
Brittany_E_Ramey@mcpsmd.org
Montgomery County Public Schools
15 West Gude Drive, Suite 300
Rockville, Maryland 20850