Change the Game for Students

To be considered for Teach Minnesota, applicants must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree (conferred by June 1 of the year you are enrolling) from an accredited institution.
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.25 from most recent degree (undergraduate or graduate).
• Meet all legal requirements to work in the United States.

Tuition and Fees

As a Teach Minnesota Fellow, you are responsible for TNTP Academy tuition and fees, which will total approximately $7,000 during the 2024-25 school year. In addition, special educators are responsible for another $1,500 in tuition to cover their second year of coursework. Payment plans are available and special educators can spread payments for the additional $1,500 across both years. If you are interested in pursuing a loan to assist with tuition expenses, you must do so independently, as eligibility varies. Fellows are not responsible for tuition until they begin teaching during the school year.

Licensure and District Hiring Costs

Teach Minnesota Fellows are responsible for all costs associated with licensure through the Minnesota State Department of Education, including fees for any required exams. In addition, our partner districts may require teachers to take a TB test, drug test, and/or have their fingerprints processed for a background check. Fellows are responsible for any costs associated with state or district hiring requirements.

Please refer to our detailed expense summary below for a comprehensive overview of costs associated with pre-service training, TNTP Academy, licensure, and district hiring.

Note: All of the costs below are based on the current school year and are subject to annual increases.

There are many external resources that can help you manage the financial transition. We have listed a few below (Note that, aside from AmeriCorps and the BEEC, TNTP Teaching Fellows does not specifically endorse any of these options. They are presented as suggestions for further research.)

Black Educator Excellence Cohort (BEEC)

In support of our commitment to diversify the classroom, TNTP’s Black Educator Excellence Cohort (BEEC) was designed to support new Fellows who identify as Black/African American transition to the classroom. The BEEC provides additional resources and support, including stipends to help offset living expenses before starting your position, exam fees, and exam preparation. Teach Minnesota BEEC members may be eligible to receive between $7,000-$8,000 in financial support. Please explore more information on the BEEC webpage, direct questions to beec@tntp.org.

Black Men Teach (Twin Cities)

Through a partnership with Black Men Teach (BMT) and to address barriers for Black males entering the classroom in the Twin Cities. Black males who join the 2024-25 Teach Minnesota cohort are eligible to receive financial support from BMT.

• Black men in the Twin Cities metro will be eligible for a summer stipend between $4,000-$7,000.
• Black men placed in a Black Men Teach partner school will be eligible for full tuition reimbursement.

Fellows must remain enrolled and complete all Teach Minnesota programmatic requirements to be eligible for Black Men Teach financial support. A list of Black Men Teach partner schools will be shared upon enrollment. Fellows who receive financial support from Black Men Teach may not be eligible to receive all financial support from the Black Educator Excellence Cohort (BEEC). If you have questions about this opportunity, please email us at teachminnesota@tntpteachingfellows.org.

TNTP AmeriCorps Program

As a Minnesota Teaching Fellow, you may be eligible to enroll in the TNTP AmeriCorps Program. AmeriCorps is a national network of service programs that connects more than 100,000 Americans each year to serve our country’s most critical needs in areas including environmental issues, disaster relief and education.

Upon successfully completing your first year of teaching in a high-need school, Fellows enrolled in the TNTP AmeriCorps Program are eligible for several financial benefits:

• An education award of up to $6,895. AmeriCorps awards cannot be applied towards TNTP Academy tuition and fees, but they can be used for repayment of federal student loans and/or for future educational costs at schools that accept federal financial aid.
• Postponement of federal student loans repayment. As an AmeriCorps member, you may be eligible to pause repayment of outstanding federal student loans. That means you would not have to make any federal student loan payments during your year of service, and after successfully completing the year, AmeriCorps would repay any interest accrued during that time.

In addition to these financial benefits, AmeriCorps members receive special training that prepares them to incorporate service learning and volunteerism into their teaching, including opportunities to participate in special activities such as AmeriCorps Week and the Martin Luther King Day of Service in their local communities.

Participation in AmeriCorps is dependent on federal funding and the award size is subject to change annually. As a result, candidates will be notified as soon as eligibility is determined, most likely at pre-service training.

Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program (TLFP)

To qualify for loan forgiveness for a federal loan, you must work for five consecutive years in a qualifying Title I school. You also must meet the standard to be considered as “highly qualified” for all five years of service (through degree and required teacher tests). You must not have an outstanding balance on direct loans or FFEL loans as of October 1, 1998, or you must have obtained those loans after October 1, 1998. You cannot be in default on a subsidized or unsubsidized loan, unless you have made “satisfactory repayments.” The loan for which you are seeking forgiveness must have been made within the five years of teaching. All secondary math, secondary science and special education teachers are eligible for up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness. All other teachers are eligible for up to $5,000.

Qualifying Loans: Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans

• Read more about the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program on the Trellis Company website.
• Apply for Teacher Loan Forgiveness through the Federal Student Aid website.

Loan Consolidation

A Direct Consolidation Loan allows you to consolidate (or combine) multiple federal education loans into one loan. The result is a single monthly payment instead of multiple payments. A Direct Consolidation Loan for federal loans has a fixed interest rate based on the weighted average of the loans being consolidated.

In order to qualify, you must have at least one Direct Loan or FFEL Program loan that is in a grace period or in repayment. If you want to consolidate a defaulted loan, you must either make satisfactory repayment arrangements on the loan with your current loan servicer before you consolidate, or you must agree to repay your new Direct Consolidation Loan under the Income-Based Repayment Plan, Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan, or Income-Contingent Repayment Plan.

Repayment plans can range from 10 to 30 years, based on the amount being consolidated, other education debt and the selected repayment plan. Repayment can begin in 60 days or sooner.

Eligible Loan Types:

• Direct Subsidized Loans
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Direct PLUS Loans
• PLUS loans from the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program
• Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
• Federal Perkins Loans
• Federal Nursing Loans
• Health Education Assistance Loans

To learn more about loan consolidation and to apply, visit the Direct Consolidations Loan website or the Student Loans website.

Short-Term Healthcare

You may require short-term health care as you transition out of school or your current job. When choosing your short-term health care, be sure to inquire if your plan meets Minimum Essential Coverage requirements. If not, you may be required to pay a tax penalty.

Affordable Health Care
Though this is not considered short-term health care, you may enroll in a plan now and update or cancel the care once you are hired as a full-time teacher. Contact a healthcare.gov representative (1-800-318-2596) and report this “life event.” Coverage varies by state, and a variety of plans are available. While open enrollment is closed for 2014, visit www.healthcare.gov to see if you qualify for “Special Enrollment.”

eHealth
A variety of plans are available. You can arrange to pay on a monthly basis, and select a six-month or 11-month plan. You may also select to pay up front for a 30-day or one-month plan. Prices range from $35 to more than $100 per month, depending on the individual. Coverage begins the very next day when enrolling in this plan.

Sallie Mae

This plan offers coverage with a maximum of six to 11 months. It offers a $50 co-pay for urgent care with multiple plan options.

COBRA
If you are leaving a job that provided health insurance, you may want to enroll in COBRA. This would allow the previous health insurance to remain in effect for up to 18 months after employment is terminated. COBRA is typically a more expensive option, usually costing several hundred per month.

Temporarily Add-on to a Family Member’s Plan

Another option could always be to add on to the insurance of a family member or significant other. If you are 26 or under, you are eligible to be covered under a parent’s insurance plan. Rules regarding family and significant others vary by insurance policy.

Personal Loans

There are many options for personal loans. These are loans from banks or another source that have a fixed payment schedule and can be used to fund anything desired, including living costs, health care or education costs. You are given a lump sum of money up front, and you will be required to make monthly payments. Eligibility requirements vary by provider, but most also require a credit check.

Personal loan providers:

SoFi
Lending Tree
Wells Fargo
TD Bank 
USAA

Home Equity Loans

Through a home equity loan you may borrow a lump sum of money and use home ownership as collateral. A credit check is required, and most lenders require moderate to good credit ratings. Home equity loans tend to have lower interest rates than many other loans. Also, interest rates can be fixed, so there is no need to worry about increases. These loans allow flexibility for spending and they can be used in any way in which the borrower chooses.

Research where you can find the best rates on home equity loans in your area at Lending Tree or Bankrate.com. These companies will compare rates at banks in your area, and you can select the lowest rate.

Grants and Crowdfunding

The NEA Foundation
The NEA Foundation’s $2,000 Learning and Leadership Grant can be used to pay for an individual Fellow’s professional development programs, like TNTP Academy. Grants are only available to Fellows who will not receive a master’s degree. Deadlines for grant applications are February 1, June 1 and October 1. Fellows must independently complete their grant application.

Amazon Wish Lists
Create a wish list on Amazon.com and send it out to family, friends, former colleagues, and professional networks. This is a great way to start setting up a classroom reading library, or getting basic supplies like Expo markers, poster paper or cleaning supplies.

DonorsChoose.org
Once you enter the classroom, Donors Choose is a way to “crowd-source” funding for classroom projects and expenses. You are able to post projects for your classroom and individuals can donate. Projects can range from paper and pencils to iPads and projectors. Materials are shipped directly to your school. Any donations made are tax deductible. There is no cost to donors or teachers.

We recruit for high-demand subject areas. This allows us to provide partner schools with the teachers they need the most and also provides more options for you to find a teaching job.

The first step in the application process is to submit an online application. On the application you will indicate your program and subject area preferences and share basic information about your background and experiences. We ask several questions about your college education, such as GPA and credit hours, so you might find it helpful to have your transcripts available. Our students come from diverse backgrounds and experiences and we’re looking for the same in our Fellows. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, so apply early to increase your chance of admission to your first-choice program and subject area. You will receive a response to your application approximately two to three weeks after submission.

Once you successfully complete the selection process, you’ll receive an official offer to enroll. Offers are extended on a rolling basis. Once you accept your offer, you will need to complete a few tasks to formally enroll, such as uploading an unofficial transcript.

You’ll begin your commitment with a rigorous summer pre-service training program that is centered on field experience. PST is a full-time 8 week training experience where you receive teaching experience and daily coaching from Teach MN coaches. PST typically begins in June. You will study proven teaching techniques and begin to develop the in-depth content knowledge that great teachers use every day to advance student learning and can expect to practice these techniques intensively, both with peers and with real students in summer school classrooms. Rather than overwhelming you with training that is a mile wide but an inch deep, we focus first on mastery of four foundational teaching skills before shifting to more advanced practices.

There are three main elements to summer training:

• Skill Building Sessions – During skill building sessions, program instructors teach foundational skills such as lesson planning and delivery, classroom management techniques and content specific strategies.
• Field Experience – Field experience is time spent teaching in a summer school classroom. Fellows typically observe a mentor teacher in action and gradually take on responsibility delivering instruction for students in the class. Program coaches visit the classroom regularly to provide real-time feedback and support.
• Responsive Coaching Sessions – In these small group sessions, Fellows practice and receive coaching on targeted skills.

Outstanding local teachers will prepare you to manage a classroom, to deliver the content your students must learn, and to support students in meeting high expectations by building bridges between challenging academic content and students’ unique values and experiences. You must demonstrate emerging proficiency in these fundamental skills by the end of pre-service training to earn teaching eligibility for the fall.

Pre-service training is a full-time commitment Monday – Friday.

During pre-service training, our coaches will be your most critical development resource as you apply lessons from training sessions with students in your classroom. All pre-service training coaches are experienced teachers with a track record of raising achievement in challenging classrooms.

Pre-service training coaches will visit you regularly in your classroom, providing real-time guidance to improve your teaching. After class, you will meet to debrief and practice concrete strategies you can apply in future lessons. Coaches will also pull you into small skill-building sessions to address your high-priority development needs.

You can’t improve if you don’t know how you are doing. Whether you are struggling with delivering content or striving to improve your classroom management skills, your coach will focus their expertise on helping you quickly get up to speed in that area. This rich feedback and personalized professional development will help you grow quickly into an amazing teacher.

During your first year as a full-time teacher, you will also complete TNTP Academy licensure coursework under the guidance of outstanding Minnesota teachers and Teach Minnesota staff.

The first year is the most important of a teacher’s career and our approach is designed with that understanding in mind. While many teacher training programs treat teachers’ first year like a warm-up, we see it as a critical opportunity to help teachers develop essential skills and determine whether they can make a successful career teaching.

Shortly after you begin teaching during the school year, you will begin TNTP Academy to bolster your instructional impact. TNTP Academy will focus on the most critical knowledge required in your subject area, is responsive to your development areas in the classroom, and will help you develop the planning skills needed to teach that content effectively.

Special Education ABS

The Special Education ABS program is comprehensive in order to best prepare Special Education teachers to meet the needs of their students. As a result, the Special Education program is a two-year program. Special Education Fellows will complete the program with a dual license in Special Education ABS and Elementary Education.

Teach Minnesota Teaching Fellows are required to complete the edTPA Portfolio Assessment in order to be recommended for their Tier 3 license following program completion. More information on edTPA.

TNTP Academy holds high standards for licensure, and our teachers are widely recognized for their ability to help high-need students make dramatic learning gains.

As a first-year Fellow, you will be evaluated on TNTP’s Assessment of Classroom Effectiveness (ACE). The evaluation system incorporates a wide variety of evidence from your classroom to create the fullest possible picture of your performance. TNTP Academy is designed to address your high-priority development needs.

By setting a high bar and helping you meet it, we ensure that you are capable of getting real results for students. And as a TNTP Academy graduate, principals and district officials will know that you are not simply a licensed teacher, but one with a proven track record in the classroom.

After successful completion of your first year of teaching, Fellows will have the opportunity to apply to an online program to earn a Master of Science in Education degree from the Johns Hopkins University.

This program is designed to build on the TNTP Academy training experience, with collaborative spaces for experiential learning through TNTP Academy to be applied toward Johns Hopkins University Master’s degree requirements. Participants will earn a Master’s degree while enjoying savings achieved through a reduced course load.

Teachers are more successful when they work in a school that is a good fit for them. As a Fellow, you will be responsible for leading your own job search to ensure that both you and your principal feel good about the match. Teach Minnesota staff will inform you when you are eligible to begin your job search.

While our staff will offer resources and guidance, all hiring decisions are ultimately made by principals or other school-based administrators. Fellows are required to secure teaching positions at a Teach MN partner school. We do not place Fellows in a school. Instead, you should expect to conduct a personal job search. You will also need to be flexible about your teaching assignment, anticipating that you will work in the school where you are needed most.

Although this may sound daunting, Teach Minnesota will help you navigate the district hiring process, showing you how to find vacancies and occasionally coordinating interviews with principals. In addition, our team will host school meet and greets, set up mock interviews, and review résumés.

While admission to Teach Minnesota does not guarantee a teaching position, the need for quality teachers in critical-shortage subjects remains high.

Once hired, you will be a full-time district employee and will earn the same starting salary as any other first-year teacher in the district. Currently, the average first-year teacher salary is $44,443.

As a Fellow, you can also access the same comprehensive benefits as all new teachers in Minnesota, including medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage. You will learn more information on benefits when you are hired by one of our partner districts or charter management organizations.