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Future Proud Michigan Educator Staff Grant

Future Proud Michigan Educator Staff Grant

Future Proud Michigan Educator Grow Your Own (GYO) Programs for School Staff Grant

GYO Grant

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has expanded the Future Proud Michigan Educator (Future PME) initiative with a second round of grant opportunities for districts to develop Grow Your Own (GYO) programs for school staff.  

The GYO Staff grants support partnerships between PK-12 schools and educator preparation providers to develop pathways for school support staff to earn initial teacher certification or for certified teachers to earn additional endorsements.

GYO programs funded via the state budget are an extension of Michigan's efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages.

In high-quality GYO programs, both partners commit to wrap-around support of candidates through shared mentorship, coaching, observation, and assessment of emerging teachers from the beginning of teacher preparation coursework through the first years of their service as certified teachers. Define, Identify, and Fund Nontraditional Pathways into the Teaching Profession: A resource for Michigan Districts provides key considerations for developing a GYO program and descriptions of exemplary programs. Grow Your Own Educators: A Toolkit for Program Design and Development also provides a collection of user-friendly resources on essential elements of high-quality GYO programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information or support, please contact MDE-PME@Michigan.gov.

Timeline

  • Round 1 GYO grant awards were announced on 5/25/23 in a press release. 
  • The Round 2 application window on GEMS/MARS has now closed. Thank you to all of the Michigan districts who submitted applications.
  • The scoring committee has begun the process of reviewing applications.

To contact the GYO team, email MDE-PME@Michigan.gov.

Eligibility

The following guidance is in accordance with the passage of Public Act 103 of 2023.
  • Employees may be either directly employed by the Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Public School Academies (PSAs) or Intermediate School Districts (ISDs or working in an LEA, PSA, or ISD under contract with a third-party staffing agency.
  • Grant funds may be used to support non-certificated employees working toward initial teacher certification or currently certified teachers looking to add an additional endorsement to a Michigan teaching certificate.
  • Eligible expenses for this grant include teacher preparation coursework tuition and program fees at an eligible educator preparation provider, books, licensure testing fees, travel to and from coursework, substitute permit costs, and costs for 6th-12th grade EXPLORE programs.
  • Candidates who receive funding from the GYO Staff grants cannot concurrently receive the MI Future Educator Fellowship or Stipend.
  • Applications must be submitted by Michigan LEAs, PSAs, or ISDs. 
  • All applications will require a signed partnership agreement with one or more Educator Preparation Provider. 

Michigan Preparation Providers Resources

Application Resources

    • Applicant: The LEA/PSA/ISD applying for the grant, who will serve as the fiscal agent for the grant. Note: Applicant may not be an individual applying on behalf of themselves.
    • Candidate/teacher candidate/participant/recipient: The staff person who will be earning a certificate or endorsement through the grant.
    • Needs/projected needs: The instructional positions the district currently needs to fill/will need to fill in the next 2-3 years.
    • Eligible teacher candidates: Those who will meet criteria for participation in the program.
    • Selected teacher candidates: Those who will be selected from the eligible candidate pool.
    • Terms of employment: The employment arrangement (salary, benefits, job assignment) the district will commit to while the candidate completes their certification or endorsement pathway.
    • Job assignment: The position the candidate will hold while they complete their certification or endorsement pathway.
    • Name of Certifying Official: Name of applicant (ISD/LEA/PSA representative).