The School District of Elmbrook, in conjunction with Greendale and Menomonee Falls School Districts, was awarded a Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF) Teacher Training and Development Grant for $250,000 by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD). The grant will be used to offer tuition reimbursement for enrollment at Carroll University for teachers who already hold a bachelor's degree and a general education license and want to add special education licensure as well as for educational assistants who hold a bachelor's degree and would like to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching to gain certification in both elementary and special education.

"Special education continues to be a significant teacher shortage area. With this grant we will be able to help ensure the future pipeline of special educators in our district and provide training and development opportunities for interested staff members," said Pam Casey, Elmbrook's Director of Human Resources.

In total, DWD presented $3,553,622.15 to 32 school districts to license more than 370 teachers in various academic areas including: special education, career and technical education, general education, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

"An important factor contributing to a student's educational success is the quality of the teaching received," said DWD Secretary Ray Allen. "By empowering our teachers with best practices and fresh strategies on teaching methods, we enhance student learning, all of which will support an accelerated future workforce in Wisconsin."

For a full list of grant recipients, please visit http://dwd.wisconsin.gov.