Grow Your Own Early Childhood and Family Educator Grant

Funding will support those pursuing early childhood degrees and credentials with scholarships and stipends.

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced that 13 organizations, colleges and universities, and school districts were awarded more than $2.3 million in Grow Your Own Early Childhood and Family Educator Grants to support those pursuing degrees and credentials to serve as early childhood and family educators.

Grantees will use the funds to provide scholarships and stipends to educators pursuing early childhood and parent education degrees and credentials. Schools and early learning programs will also provide programming and support for teacher candidates to help them be successful in their licensure, credential or degree program.

“The early years are some of the most important years for child development. Access to high-quality early learning opportunities helps young children to succeed in school,” said Commissioner Willie Jett. “Early childhood and family educators play an important role in supporting early learners and their families, and these grants will help to grow Minnesota’s early childhood educator workforce.”

Grantees include Minneapolis College. Funding will support participants with tuition and wrap around supports for early educators with a focus on supporting Spanish speaking bilingual educators.

Gov. Tim Walz and the 2023 Legislature passed Grow Your Own Early Childhood and Family Educator Grant last spring as an expansion of the existing Grow Your Own Program, which introduces high school students to the profession and supports adult learners who are pursuing an education degree.

The grants are part of an effort to support the early childhood workforce in Minnesota.

Source: Republished from the Minnesota Department of Education News Release 6/26/24