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Change the Game for Students
Tress Blake teaching fourth grade at Wayzata North Woods Elementary School

Teach Minnesota

Change the Game for Students

>50%

of Fellows identify as a person of color

$

The most affordable licensure program in the state

15+

partner school districts where Fellows can launch their careers

About Teach Minnesota

Teach Minnesota is one of the state’s first alternative routes to certification —and your opportunity to join a cohort of talented professionals who are ready to change the game for students. Teach Minnesota uses a proven national Teaching Fellows model that’s trained nearly 40,000 teachers in 25 states and will elevate your academic and professional expertise into a high-impact career as a certified teacher in the Twin Cities.

The 2024-25 Teach Minnesota application is open!

Developing and Supporting Diverse Talent

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Giving all students the challenging, vibrant, and affirming education they deserve starts with supporting and sustaining great teaching.
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TNTP Teaching Fellows works in partnership with local communities to provide accessible pathways to successful teaching careers.
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Why Minnesota?

A City’s Progress Depends on Its Teachers

Minnesota is known for its abundant outdoor activities, popular festivals, and affordability. It’s also a state committed to providing quality education. In response to a growing, community-led movement to address teacher shortages, the state legislature opened the doors for new teacher training programs, like Teach Minnesota, to offer affordable, flexible pathways into the classroom. Teach Minnesota, one of the state’s first alternative routes to licensure under this new licensure system, is designed after a model that has been proven to train effective teachers across the nation for more than 20 years.

Teach Minnesota is your opportunity to join a cohort of talented professionals who are ready to change the game for kids. Teach Minnesota’s first class of 30 Fellows started training in the summer of 2022. The program aims to scale to 100 new teachers per year by 2024. We are committed to recruiting cohorts with at least 50% of teachers identifying as a person of color, positioning Teach Minnesota to shift the landscape of diverse educators in the Twin Cities by at least 10% over 5 years.

Apply

Learn about Teach Minnesota, our students, and our unique educational community. Complete an online application to indicate your interest in Teach Minnesota and share your background and experiences, and submit a recorded interview to showcase how your talents will shine in the classroom.

Train

Throughout the 8-week summer training experience, learn core teaching skills such as engaging students, managing a classroom, and instructional delivery from experienced coaches and teachers. Practice those skills with students in a local summer school classroom and with your peers while receiving coaching and feedback.

Teach

Begin teaching in the fall, leading a class of your own students, and earning a full teacher’s salary and benefits. Continue building your skills with coaching tailored to your individual needs and 1-2 years of coursework culminating in certification.

 

Key Dates

See all dates and details
Apply
Application Open
Application Closed
Enrollment Deadline
Train
April: Orientation and Preview Day
Mid-June: Pre-Service Training Begins
Early August: Pre-Service Training Ends
Teach
First Day of School
Online Certification Coursework Begins
Third-grade teacher, Michelle Stillson, at a whiteboard teaching math
Michelle Stillson teaching third grade at Wayzata North Woods Elementary School

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the Teach Minnesota program, applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria based on state requirements, including bachelor’s degree conferral and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.25 from their most recent degree. Candidates must also meet local employment requirements including passing a background check and meeting all legal requirements to work in the United States.

Learn More About Eligibility

Hear It From Them

Teacher Stories

"My coaches constantly remind me that I am human and that I make mistakes and my students make mistakes. If I am here giving my 120% it is better than me not being here at all."

Head-and-shoulders photo of Samantha Herr

Samantha Herr

Teach Minnesota

Elementary, Kindergarten

"At first it felt overwhelming to jump right into the classroom. In the long run, it was best because I could observe and reflect on what I needed to do better the next day."

Head-and-shoulders photo of Christian Reyes

Christian Reyes

Teach Minnesota

Elementary, 5th Grade

"Be 100% committed to the program. Even when you aren’t here you are thinking about it and figuring things out."

Head-and-shoulders photo of Michelle Stillson

Michelle Stillson

Teach Minnesota

Elementary, 3rd Grade

Meet Our Staff

Headshot of James Barnett

James Barnett

Program Director

Headshot of Kristin Scherman

Kristin Scherman

Effectiveness Coach

Head shot of Maggie Borman

Maggie Borman

Effectiveness Coach