MDE Offers Grants to Support the Development of Future Proud Michigan Educators

LANSING - To provide all students access to high quality instruction, and in response to statewide interest in Grow Your Own initiatives, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announces two grant opportunities to develop Future Proud Michigan Educators (Future PME) that will serve their local communities.

The first Grow Your Own grant will support school support staff seeking certification as teachers, and the second will expand opportunities for students in grades 6-12 to explore education professions. These grants are an extension of Michigan's efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages through the Future PME initiative.

"We need to encourage people who are already invested in our school communities to consider developing and using their talents as proud Michigan educators," said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. "It is crucial for the state to support our next generation of educators as they invest in their local schools."

These grants are funded with $1 million in state funds as the first piece of a much larger investment plan needed to address Michigan's teacher shortage issue and developed by MDE, shared with the state legislature, and supported by the State Board of Education and nine leading statewide education organizations, Dr. Rice said.

"These Grow Your Own grants are important to building home-grown teachers, but they are but a small piece of the much larger solution that the state legislature needs to fund," Dr. Rice said.

Michigan local education agencies (LEAs), both traditional school districts and public school academies (PSAs), and intermediate school districts (ISDs) are invited to apply for:

• Grants of up to $10,000 per school employee to pay for teacher preparation coursework and program fees, licensure testing fees and substitute permit costs to earn initial certification or additional endorsements. There are up to 80 grants available. To qualify for this program grant, participating LEAs must employ and support the future educators throughout the grant cycle.
• Grants of $2,500 per school to fund preparation and recruitment activities that will build a foundation for new Future PME programs in the school. Activities may include visits to educator preparation programs, out-of-school-time activities, and paid professional learning for an identified instructor. There are up to 80 grants available. 

Research shows that early recruitment efforts and direct financial support for teacher preparation eliminate key barriers to individuals, especially teacher candidates from historically under-represented backgrounds. These Grow Your Own grants represent the first phase of 2022 grant funding to invest in Future Proud Michigan Educators.

Applications are due by March 18, 2022. Applicants are encouraged to review the supporting grant materials on the Future PME website. School districts are asked to direct their questions to Holly Carruthers at CarruthersH@Michigan.gov.