The McKnight Foundation has awarded a $600,000 grant over two years to support the Southwest Minnesota Teacher Preparation Partnership, a unique career pathway model created by Worthington Public School District, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Southwest Minnesota State University and Southwest Initiative Foundation.
This partnership aims to increase the diverse pool of quality teacher candidates in the region. It is also focused on what it takes to support students who want to teach, especially students of color who aren’t often seeing teachers who look like them in their classrooms. According to the Worthington Public School District, more than 68 percent of its high school students are from one of over 40 cultures in the area. And more than 78 percent of elementary students in the district are students of color. Only about 7 percent of their teachers are people of color.
According to the 2019 Biennial Minnesota Teacher Supply and Demand Report from Wilder Research, a similar diversity gap appears across the state, where students of color make up 34 percent and teachers of color make up 4 percent of Minnesota schools. The report also notes teacher shortages are a problem. Nearly 90 percent of school districts reported fewer teachers are available compared to five years ago.
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