SUMMARY

The Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP) features two initiatives that appear to exclude applicants who are not Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) from the programs. Funded through a grant program from the Minnesota Department of Education, the stated goals are to assist 100 high school students of color in preparing for a future in the teaching profession and to help fifteen adults of color through a teacher preparation program and the licensing process.

According to a press release by Owatonna Public Schools on June 28, 2023, the Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP) program was awarded two $750,000 grants (for a total of $1.5 million) from the Minnesota Department of Education Grow Your Own (GYO) Grant Program. These GYO programs are intended to “recruit and prepare local community members to enter the teaching profession and return to teach in their communities” and “focused on the enrollments of the member districts with the highest number of students of color, but little diversity of staff.”

The partnership will feature two separate programs titled the “Teachers of Tomorrow” and the “Teaching Fellows” initiatives. The document states that the “Teachers of Tomorrow” high school programming will focus on “100 students of color who are interested in teaching to successfully graduate from high school and matriculate to college.” It also states that the “Teaching Fellows” initiative will “support 15 individuals of color in successfully completing a Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)-approved teaching program.”

The MEP partnership includes “Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Faribault, Le Sueur-Henderson, Mankato, Owatonna, St. Peter (2022-2023), Tri-City United, and Waseca public school districts.”

According to a 2024 Minnesota Department of Education report on “Grow Your Own” programs, the document data reveals that partnership districts (Faribault, Northfield, and Owatonna – which includes Mankato) featured 100% of their participants identifying as “People of Color or Indigenous.” The document did not include data from the other districts involved in the MEP.

MINNESOTA EDUCATORS PARTNERSHIP (MEP)

The Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP) is a partnership program between “educator prep programs, school districts, & community organizations.” The purpose of the program is to “recruit & prepare local community members to enter the teaching profession & teach in their communities” and to “increase the diversity of educators.” The MEP offers both secondary student and adult pathways.

According to a document titled MEP Grants Overview, the secondary student pathway states that the “percentage of students of color or American Indian students must be the same as or greater than that of the district.” Proposed use of funds include offering “scholarships to graduating high schools students of color or American Indian students (for PSELB-approved undergrad teacher prep programs).”

The document also sets out “Goals for the CE Grant” which include a focus on “students of color and Indigenous students” enrolled in programs.

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Adult Pathway

The “Adult Teaching Fellows” page states that the program is “open to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) attending or planning to attend a Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved (PELSB-approved) teacher preparation program.”

According to a program overview, the GYO pathway is a state approved preparation program funded through the Minnesota’s Department of Education’s Grow Your Own (GYO) Grant Program. Requirements for the program include the use of “at least 80% of grant funds to provide tuition scholarships or stipends,” participants in the program must be “district employees or community members affiliated with a district,” and must be “of color or American Indian.”

An overview of the process states that participating districts in the $750,000 grant funded program were “selected based on data (percentage of students of color)” and that the goal is for at least thirteen “individuals of color” to earn a teaching license within the five-year period. The “MEP Teaching Fellows Model” includes “$10,000/ year for tuition support or stipends,” acceptance into the Minnesota college or university of choice, and also “paired with a Mentor Teacher in the area of their teaching interest (preference for teacher of color).” Mentors are “paid $1,500 for mentoring a Fellow throughout entire program.”

Per the document, “all project decisions are made by the MEP Teaching Fellows Council” which “must be majority individuals of color,” must “include community partners, parents, and students,” and must have administrators, teachers, and support professionals from each district involved.

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Student Pathway

The Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP) “Teachers of Tomorrow” program states that it is “intended to help students who are of color or who are American Indian earn their Minnesota teaching license.” The program is “open to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) who are considering the teaching profession and planning to attend a Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved (PELSB-approved) teacher preparation program.”

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SCHOOL DISTRICTS

The majority of the following districts participate in the Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP), but not all. This list will be updated if or when new programs are found.

Faribault School District

The Faribault School District’s Teaching Fellows program, part of the Minnesota Educators Program (MEP), states that it is “intended to help Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) with a Faribault connection attain their Minnesota teaching license.” According to the site, the program is “open to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) attending or planning to attend a Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved (PELSB-approved) teacher preparation program during the 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 school years.”

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Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools

Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools is part of the Minnesota Educators Partnership programming which includes the Teachers of Tomorrow initiative and the Teaching Fellows initiative.

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Mankato Public Schools

Mankato Public Schools is part of the Minnesota Educators Partnership programming which includes the Teachers of Tomorrow initiative and the Teaching Fellows initiative.

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Northfield Public Schools

The Northfield Public Schools “Teaching Fellows” program states that it is “intended to help Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) with a Northfield connection attain their Minnesota teaching license.” Per the webpage, the program is “open to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) attending or planning to attend a Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved (PELSB-approved) teacher preparation program.”

According to the program application, candidates are required to mark a box that states “I am Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC).”

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Owatonna Public Schools

Owatonna Public Schools is part of the Minnesota Educators Partnership programming which includes the Teachers of Tomorrow initiative and the Teaching Fellows initiative.

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Tri-City United Public Schools

Tri-City United Public Schools is part of the Minnesota Educators Partnership programming which includes the Teachers of Tomorrow initiative and the Teaching Fellows initiative.

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Waseca Public Schools

The Waseca Public Schools Teaching Fellows program, part of the Minnesota Educators Partnership (MEP), states that it is “open to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) attending or planning to attend a Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board-approved (PELSB-approved) teacher preparation program.”