Case Study: How Charles County Public Schools Strengthened Teacher Certification Through Partnership

Like many school districts across Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has seen more educators enter the classroom before completing a traditional teacher preparation program. Through the state’s conditional licensure pathway, these educators can begin teaching while completing the requirements for full certification.

For district leaders, that creates an important challenge: finding a teacher preparation program educators can realistically complete while balancing the demands of a full-time classroom.

Kevin Howard knows that challenge well.

As supervisor of human resources for Charles County Public Schools, Howard oversees educator certification, university partnerships, and tuition reimbursement. Over the past several years, he’s watched the district hire more conditionally licensed educators as fewer candidates come through traditional teacher preparation programs.

“We have an increased number of conditionally licensed educators,” Howard said. “Not as many educators are coming out of traditional ed prep programs. So, we were hiring folks who had a bachelor’s degree but needed to get that licensure.”

Finding another university partner wasn’t the difficult part.

Finding one his educators would complete — and one the district could confidently recommend — was.

Finding the Right Partner

As Charles County began evaluating teacher preparation programs and partnerships, Moreland University wasn’t an unfamiliar name.

Howard says Moreland had been recommended by colleagues before the district ever explored a formal partnership. Those conversations gave Charles County confidence to take a closer look.

The relationship officially began in 2023 through Moreland’s district partnership model focused on giving educators access to discounted tuition while pursuing certification.

Howard says Moreland ultimately stood out because the program reflected what teachers were already doing every day.

“The big thing that we saw with Moreland was that the coursework was embedded with what they were doing on a daily basis,” Howard said. “So, we thought that helped out a lot.”

That mattered because these educators weren’t preparing for a future teaching job — they were already leading classrooms.

“What you’re doing on a daily basis is embedded within your classwork,” Howard said. “So, they’re taking what they’re doing in the class from Moreland and then using it in the classroom on a daily basis as well.”

Howard says educators appreciated that approach because it felt like “on-the-job training.” Instead of adding another layer of work, the program complemented the work they were already doing.

The feedback spoke for itself.

“I’ve heard nothing but praise from the educators,” Howard said. “They truly enjoy the program that they’re going through. When those things are positive, then it just builds upon itself.”

Positive experiences made it easier for Charles County to recommend Moreland to future educators, but they also laid the foundation for something bigger.

A Partnership That Continued to Grow

What began as a certification partnership gradually became something more.

As more educators enrolled, conversations shifted beyond enrollment and certification. Howard found himself working with the Moreland team on challenges that affected the district more broadly — from tuition reimbursement to procurement processes and long-term workforce planning.

When changes to tuition reimbursement created new budget considerations, Moreland adjusted payment schedules so educators could maximize reimbursement across multiple fiscal years.

“The flexibility of Moreland being able to work with us and our procurement and accounts payable department has been tremendous,” Howard said.

That responsiveness reinforced Howard’s confidence in the partnership.

“Whatever we need, we ask for,” he said. “Anytime we needed something, Moreland was there. It just made my job a lot easier.”

For Howard, the value went beyond having a university partner. It was having a partner willing to adapt as the district’s needs changed.

Expanding the Partnership

As Charles County hired more educators through Maryland’s conditional licensure pathway, district leaders began thinking beyond a partnership to help individual teachers earn certification.

They wanted a way to support larger groups of educators while reducing financial barriers and creating a more sustainable long-term strategy. Because the Moreland partnership had already proven successful, expanding it felt like a natural next step.

In 2025, Moreland introduced its Educator Development Partner (EDP) model — a district-funded partnership designed to help school systems not only certify educators, but also build long-term workforce strategies through continued support, mentorship, professional learning, and workforce insights. The EDP model offered a guarantee called Investment Assurance — if a candidate left the program, the district could choose a replacement at no extra cost.

For Howard, it was the perfect opportunity to build on a partnership that was already working for dozens of the district’s educators.

“When Moreland approached us with the EDP opportunity, it made sense,” Howard said. “With the need that we had, I knew we could guarantee 62 people.”

Charles County became one of Moreland’s first Educator Development Partners, expanding a relationship that began with discounted tuition into a district-funded partnership supporting larger groups of educators.

Looking Ahead

Howard believes the strongest measure of any university partnership is the experience of the educators participating in it. For Charles County, those conversations continue to reinforce the district’s decision.

“I’m excited about our partnership with Moreland,” Howard said. “I’m looking forward to continuing it into the future and expanding it. It just fits our needs right now.”

When other districts ask about Moreland, Howard encourages them to have a conversation before making assumptions.

“Take the time to listen to what Moreland has to offer,” he said. “Be open to it. Be flexible. If there’s something unique that you need, talk to them about it. Don’t be surprised if they’ll be able to meet you where you need to be.”

After nearly 30 years in education, Howard says one thing continues to stand out about being an Educator Development Partner with Moreland:

“This is about the best opportunity that I’ve seen in my 29 years in education.”

Build a Partnership That Fits Your District

Every district’s workforce needs are different. That’s why Moreland offers flexible partnership options that can meet you where you are today — and evolve as your needs change.

Like Charles County, many districts begin as a Choice Partner, giving educators access to exclusive tuition discounts on Moreland’s accelerated certification pathways.

As districts look to support larger groups of educators and invest more directly in certification, many expand into an Educator Development Partner (EDP) model — a district-funded partnership that combines certification with mentorship, professional development, workforce insights, dedicated support, and Moreland’s Investment Assurance guarantee.

Whether you’re looking to support individual educators or build a long-term workforce strategy, Moreland will work with you to create a partnership that aligns with your goals.

Learn more about Moreland’s district partnerships or connect with our team to explore the approach that best fits your district.