Minnesota’s Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board currently administers the following grant programs:
(1) the Collaborative Urban and Greater Minnesota Educators of Color (CUGMEC) grant, authorized by Minn. Stat. §122A.635, is intended to support and increase the number of teacher candidates of color and Indigenous teacher candidates at PELSB-approved teacher preparation provider institutions of higher education across the state;
(2) the Teacher Mentorship and Retention of Effective Teachers Grant (TMRG), authorized by Minn. Stat. §122A.70, supports the development and expansion of teacher induction, mentorship, and retention programs, especially those serving teachers of color and American Indian teachers. Pursuant to statute, beginning in 2024, increased appropriation for this grant program requires PELSB to distribute a minimum of $2,330,000.00 each fiscal year for the development and expansion of mentoring, induction, and retention programs designed for teachers of color or Native American teachers;
(3) the Preparation Pathway Grant (PPG) program, authorized by Laws of Minnesota 2023, chapter 55, article 5, section 65, subdivision 7, grants funds to school districts, charter school districts, education service cooperatives, and partnerships between one or more teacher preparation providers and school and charter school districts, to support Tier 2 teachers seeking Tier 3 licensure via the completion of a teacher preparation program or the licensure via portfolio process. Grant recipients must provide teachers holding a Tier 2 license with professional development, mentorship, and coursework aligned to state standards for teaching licensure; and
(4) the Teacher Outreach & Marketing Campaign Grant, authorized by Laws of Minnesota 2023, chapter 55, article 5, section 65, subdivision 10, funds the development and implementation of a marketing and outreach campaign to elevate the teaching profession and recruit teacher candidates, especially teacher candidates of color and American Indian teacher candidates, among high school and college students who have yet to choose a career path, and adults seeking to change careers. This campaign mobilizes individuals, especially from BIPOC communities, to be champions of the teaching profession, transforming and elevating the public narrative about the profession to receive the reverence it deserves in our society.
