MDE Invests $41 Million to Grow Teacher Workforce
Grants awarded to support programs in recruiting, diversifying and retaining high-quality educators
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is investing in the future of the state’s educator workforce by awarding more than $41 million through five grant programs.
MDE’s Educator Workforce and Development Center is helping communities build the best teaching workforce in the nation by funding teacher mentorship and professional development opportunities, teaching pathways for secondary students, Grow Your Own programs, and tuition assistance. Investments in Minnesota's educator workforce are a core initiative of the Walz-Flanagan Administration, ensuring all students have equitable access to quality learning. In the 2024-25 school year, education workforce grants helped schools and teacher preparation programs support 2,884 individuals, most of whom are people of color or American Indian. Additionally, the grants helped schools introduce 1,850 students to the education profession that year.
The Educator Workforce and Development Center leads statewide efforts to recruit, prepare, develop, diversify, and retain teachers in partnership with school districts, charter schools, Tribal Nations, educator preparation programs, and community organizations to strengthen the educator pipeline and support teachers and school leaders throughout their careers.
"Educators shape the future of our world by showing students today exactly what they are capable of achieving,” said Commissioner Willie Jett. “Investing in our educators is an investment in Minnesota’s future. It’s key to Minnesota becoming the education state.”
Educator Tuition Assistance Program
The Educator Tuition Assistance Program invests in Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)-approved higher education preparation programs to increase the number of teacher candidates of color and American Indian candidates recommended for Tier 3 licensure.
MDE awarded $4.3 million in investments to nine grantees.
Grantees:
- Augsburg University
- Concordia College, Moorhead
- Metropolitan State University
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Southwest Minnesota State University
- Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
- St. Catherine University
- University of Minnesota Morris
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Grow Your Own
Grow Your Own grants are awarded to districts, charter schools, service cooperatives, and Tribally Controlled Schools. The Grow Your Own grant offers two pathways, adult and student. The Adult Pathway allows districts to help adults working or living in their district to reduce, if not eliminate, the financial barrier to teacher preparation.
The Student Pathway provides middle and high school students with innovative programs to explore careers in education. In fiscal year 2025, 452 adult and 1,878 student teacher candidates participated in Grow Your Own programs. The goal is to help local residents — such as parents, school staff, and students — become teachers in their own communities.
Adult Pathway Grantees:
MDE awarded about $20.8 million in Adult Pathway Grow Your Own investments to 25 primary grantees working with 23 joint partners.
- Academias La Paz
- BrightWorks Service Cooperative
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
- Eagle Ridge Academy
- Faribault Public Schools
- Fridley Public Schools
- Hiawatha Academies
- Hopkins Public Schools
- International Spanish Language Academy
- Lakes Country Service Cooperative
- Metro Schools
- Minneapolis Public Schools
- New Century School
- New Millennium Academy
- North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
- Northfield Public Schools
- Red Lake Schools
- Red Wing Public Schools
- Robbinsdale Area Schools
- Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
- Saint Paul Public Schools
- St. Cloud Area School District
- Star of the North Academy
- White Bear Lake Area Schools
- Worthington Schools
Student Pathway Grantees:
MDE awarded about $2 million in Student Pathway Grow Your Own investments to 12 primary grantees. This grant will support a total of 18 grantees and partner organizations.
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
- Community School of Excellence
- Faribault School District
- Goodhue County Education District
- Hiawatha Academies
- Intermediate District 287
- Lakes Country Service Coop
- Minneapolis Public Schools
- Red Wing Public Schools
- South Washington County Schools
- St. Cloud Area School District
- Willmar Public Schools
Special Education Teacher Pathway
The Special Education Teacher Pathway Program supports districts and schools in developing trained and licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 special education teachers.
MDE awarded about $9.8 million in investments to 13 primary grantees. This grant will support a total of over 100 grantees and their partner organizations.
Grantees:
- Eden Prairie Schools
- Edina Public Schools
- Great River School
- Hopkins Public Schools
- Metro Schools
- Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative
- Rochester Public Schools
- Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
- Sherburne Northern Wright Special Education Cooperative
- Sourcewell
- Southwest West Central Service Cooperative
- West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan ISD 197
- Zumbro Education District
Teacher Mentorship and Retention Program
The Teacher Mentorship and Retention Grant Program supports school districts, charter schools, cooperative units, Tribally Controlled Schools, nonprofit and professional organizations, higher education institutions, and coalitions of teachers to develop, sustain, and expand mentorship programs to increase retention and effectiveness of teachers in their first three years of teaching. The program supports are particularly focused on supporting teachers of color and Indigenous teachers.
MDE awarded almost $3.4 million in investments to 15 grantees.
Grantees:
- Black Educators' Alliance
- Bloomington Public Schools
- Fridley Public Schools
- Hmong College Prep Academy
- Lakes Country Service Cooperative
- Laura Jeffrey Academy
- Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) Minnesota
- Minnesota Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee/BrightWorks
- New Century School
- Osseo Area Schools
- Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
- Roseville Area Schools
- Southeast Service Cooperative
- The New Teacher Project, Inc.
- University of Minnesota
Teacher Residency Program
The Teacher Residency Program Grant invests in the planning and implementation of teacher residency and registered teacher apprenticeship programs (RTAPs). RTAPs and teacher residencies offer an innovative pathway to complete a teacher preparation program by learning skills through hands-on experiences in a classroom for a full year or more.
MDE awarded $800,000 in investments to four grantees.
Grantees:
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Minnesota State University, Moorhead
- St. Cloud State University
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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