There’s Funding for That: How Workforce Boards Are Helping Districts Solve Teacher Shortages

Presented by Howard Scott, Special Projects Coordinator, WorkSource Middle Georgia, Holly Hyuhn, Director of Talent Management, Bibb County School District, Jennifer Serino, Executive Director, Lake County Workforce Board and Mandy Milewski, Ed.S., Associate Superintendent, Waukegan Public Schools

Moderated by Jason Lange, President, BloomBoard

Teacher shortages are a workforce issue—and school districts don’t have to solve them alone.

In this webinar, district and workforce leaders from Lake County Workforce Development and WorkSource Middle Georgia share how they partner with school districts to fund Grow Your Own teacher pathways grants and workforce funding.

Workforce funding plays a critical role in making these pathways possible. Through these partnerships, paraprofessionals earn their teaching degrees and licensure while continuing to work, with workforce dollars offsetting tuition and reducing financial barriers. Districts are able to invest in trusted employees, strengthen recruitment efforts, improve retention, and build a sustainable pipeline of educators who already know their students and communities.

Hear directly from district leaders, including Bibb County Schools and an Illinois school district, about the return on investment of this model and how workforce partnerships can support long-term staffing stability. Moderated by BloomBoard, this session offers a practical, scalable approach districts can learn from and replicate.