Saint Paul, Minn. (Feb. 4, 2016) — Metropolitan State University is co-sponsoring Increasing Teacher Diversity in Minnesota: An Ongoing Community Conversation and Call to Action. The event is 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6 at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), 1501 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis.
Nearly 30 percent of students in Minnesota schools are students of color and American Indian students, yet 4 percent of their teachers are of color or American Indian. The gap is wider in many schools. Join policy makers, community-based organization leaders, students, school administrators, teachers and teacher educators, philanthropists and others to make action plans for change. Topics include:
- Eliminating discriminatory teacher testing requirements
- Providing scholarship incentives and student teaching stipends
- Providing induction and retention support
- Offering loan forgiveness for teaching service
There are many concerned groups and individuals currently advocating to improve teacher diversity in Minnesota. This important event prior to the 2016 legislative session will bring together hundreds of people in a coalition around key policy and investment initiatives, as well as a common goal: by 2020, to double the current number of teachers of color in the state and ensure that 20 percent of candidates in the teacher preparation pipeline are persons of color or American Indian. Participants will create action plans that build upon the important advocacy work that has been done.
The day’s agenda can be found on the event website. A media resource desk will be available at the event. E-mail for more information.
Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, is America’s premier university for lifelong learning, providing unsurpassed, competitive academic and professional degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels while maintaining affordability.
