Future Proud Michigan Educator Grants Awarded to 44 Applicants

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has selected 44 grantees across the state to develop new opportunities for students in grades 6-12 to explore education professions.

The Future Proud Michigan Explore program is an important element of MDE’s larger Proud Michigan Educator campaign, and a continuation of Michigan’s efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce. The Explore program is a companion to existing career and technical education 9-12 cadet teacher programs.

“Teachers help to build a better world, and we need to collectively invest in our future proud Michigan educators,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “We need to encourage our young people to consider developing and using their talents as Michigan educators.”

Grantees will receive $10,000 in federal Title IIA funding per eligible school building to build implementation teams, provide student engagement activities, and plan for hands-on learning through Explore courses in the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years. MDE will provide participating school districts with flexible models for implementation, curricular resources, and free professional development for educators.

Grantees proposed several innovative approaches to implementing Explore programming, including:

• Virtual and hybrid instruction paired with local teacher mentors
• Inclusive and equity-focused programs that intend to bring a more diverse generation of teachers to future classrooms
• Programs that will recruit current students into the teaching profession as advocates for their local communities, including urban, rural and indigenous communities
• Programs that attract diverse students into roles as secondary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educators
• Increased opportunities for high school students to earn college credits
• Coursework articulated from high school, through a two-year college and into an educator preparation program

In partnership with intermediate school districts, community colleges and post-secondary educator preparation programs and other community organizations, grantees will plan for building pathways to the profession that are clear, accessible, and well-supported. All applications for the Future Proud Michigan Educator Explore grant were funded, including:

• Alcona Community Schools
• Cesar Chavez Academy
• Charlotte Public Schools
• Crawford AuSable Schools
• Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District
• Detroit Public Schools Community District
• Eaton Rapids Public Schools
• Ferndale Public Schools
• Genesee School District
• Grand Ledge Public Schools
• Grand Rapids Public Schools
• Grant Public School District
• Harper Creek Community Schools
• Harper Woods School District
• Hartland Consolidated Schools
• Hillsdale Intermediate School District
• Holt Public Schools
• Hope Academy of West Michigan
• Kalamazoo Public Schools
• Kelloggsville Public Schools
• Kent Intermediate School District
• Lake Fenton Community Schools
• Lake Orion Community Schools
• Lansing Public School District
• Lincoln Park Public Schools
• Maple Valley Schools
• Mason Public Schools
• Newaygo County RESA
• North Muskegon Public Schools
• Orchard View Schools
• Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
• Potterville Public Schools
• Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan
• Saginaw Township Community Schools
• Shiawassee Regional ESD
• South Lake Schools
• Springport Public Schools
• St. Joseph County Intermediate School District
• Thornapple Kellogg School District
• Utica Community Schools
• Washtenaw Intermediate School District
• West Branch-Rose City Area Schools
• Woodhaven-Brownstown School District
• Ypsilanti Community Schools

For more information, please visit bit.ly/FuturePME or email MDE-PME@Michigan.gov

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