Rep. McNally Announces $340,000 to support Youngstown State University Educators

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) today announced $340,000 in grants for Youngstown State University (YSU) as part of the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s (ODHE) Teach CS Grant Program.

“Creating programs that encourage and help teachers expand their own capabilities in the classroom is a good state investment,” said Rep. McNally. “Aligning that investment with workforce needs is common sense.”

The Teach CS Grant Program is part of an $8 million allocation from the General Assembly, as part of the state operating budget, to state institutions of higher education. It provides funding for increasing the number of existing teachers who qualify to teach computer science through supplemental licensure, university endorsement programs, and alternative resident educator licenses, awarding grants competitively to eligible state institutions of higher education. Six ESCs and 11 colleges and universities were selected to participate after a request for applications from the ODHE on November 1, 2023.

“I hope to see many of our YSU educators taking advantage of this opportunity to gain another credential and incorporate computer science into their work, and by extension into the Mahoning Valley,” said Rep. McNally.

Grant funds can be used by educators for continuing education programs that offer professional development to existing teachers or used by educators for coursework, materials, and exams while seeking to complete these pathways. Up to 1,100 educators around the state can get training through the grants, 650 of which will be newly credentialed while the remainder would get continuing education.