Courtesy Photo Pictured is the front of Alcona Community High School

LINCOLN — Alcona Community Schools announced that they received $833,966 in grant funding from the Michigan Department of Education Grow Your Own Educator Development Grant on Tuesday in a press release.

The grant is part of a statewide initiative that awarded approximately $70 million to 74 school districts and public school academies across Michigan, according to the press release. Funded through a legislative appropriation approved by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Grow Your Own Educator Development Grant supports school districts in creating pathways for current employees to earn teaching certificates, add endorsements, and pursue additional professional learning opportunities in partnership with state-approved educator preparation programs.

This is the first year the district has applied for the grant, Superintendent Dan O’Connor said. In the past, the Alpena Montmorency Alcona Educational Service District (AMA ESD) has received funding from the grant but they were not applicants this year.

“We decided to throw our hat in the ring,” O’Connor said.

He said that many candidates for teaching positions come to Alcona Schools through the grant.

The grant is very specific in what it can be used for, O’Connor said. Current teachers can receive additional certifications through the funding, and people that want to become teachers can receive certification. It could also be used to pay for things like courses, tuition, and testing fees. The grant helps to address the teacher shortage in Michigan.

O’Connor said the first step in using the grant money will be meeting with current ACS staff to see if there is interest in earning additional certifications and see if anyone in the community is looking to go back to school to receive teaching certification.

“In a small rural school the more flexible we can be to offer additional certifications gives more options to students,” O’Connor said.

Participants receive support as they complete educator preparation programs, making it more accessible for current school employees to transition into certified teaching roles or earn additional endorsements, the press release from the district stated.

School districts across Michigan earned grant funding in three tiers. ACS was part of tier three for districts that are funding pilot stage or early stage “grow your own” programs. Of the districts that received tier three grants, ACS received the second most funding, only topped by Ann Arbor Public Schools who received a grant of approximately $1.5 million, according to a June 24 press release from the Michigan Department of Education.