Minnesota lawmakers approve more funding for programs to train new teachers

Grow your own teacher program

Minnesota lawmakers earlier this month approved $31.95 million for the fiscal year that starts on Tuesday, July 1, and more than $54.9 million for the next fiscal year to help recruit new teachers in the Grow Your Own program, according to Minnesota’s Department of Education.

A state report found that Minnesota continues to lag significantly in the ability to hire and retain racially and ethnically diverse teachers. “Increasing the diversity of educators in the classroom benefits all students” is a goal of the program listed on MDE’s website.

The grant program, which involves school districts across the state, helps adults interested in entering the teaching profession by providing stipends, scholarships, unique student teaching or field placement experiences, and other opportunities to support their pursuit of a career in education, according to MDE’s website.

“The real hope is that folks can get initial licensure into a degree that suits them and serves our students, we know because of teacher shortages we need to address that, and this helps us reach that,” said Ryan Mulso, a Minneapolis Public Schools administrator.

State data over the last couple of fiscal years show more than 340 adults in the program have become teachers or are still working to become licensed through various district programs across Minnesota.

Grow Your Own (GYO) Consolidated Report FY 24 (1)Download

“The Grow Your Own program is first and foremost an investment in the teaching workforce in Minnesota,” said Dr. Matt Hillmann of Northfield Public Schools.

The Northfield district has a grant to help grow its pool of teachers with roots in the community, as applications for certain fields are less than in years past.

“Mathematics, science, technology, engineering…. You’re very happy if you get three or four licensed applicants,” Hillmann said. “We are in a teacher shortage.”

Other districts are using the state grant program to focus on high school students by helping them to enter the education field by creating pathways with area colleges.

In Fiscal Year 2025, the state set aside $25 million in grants as part of the program.
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