Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper recently introduced his proposal for the 2018-2019 budget, and included $10 million to hire and retain teachers in the state using cannabis taxes money.

This $10 million, that comes from Colorado’s Marijuana Tax Cash Fund, will help find qualified people to fill in more than 3,000 teacher positions throughout the state, particularly in rural areas. Some teaching positions in math, science and foreign languages have been empty for years.

“We anticipate a significant focus on the challenges rural communities face in attracting, retaining and developing the qualified teachers needed to support positive student outcomes,” the budget proposal states.

The Colorado Department of Education is working with the governor’s staff on specific ideas for the funding, according to the department’s spokeswoman Gladis Gee.

Teachers, administrators and other residents were invited to share their views on how to end the shortage, and some proposals included boosting salaries, creating more efficient ways to license teachers and implementing a statewide salary system.

“We are evaluating the specific needs and priorities we heard from the teacher shortage town halls conducted over the summer and looking to find programs where this infusion of dollars could create more systemic solutions for our rural schools,” Gee said.