The Minnesota Department of Education is committed to supporting its teachers and encouraging them to continue their education and work towards career advancement. In line with this commitment, the Minnesota Board of Teaching was established to provide leadership and to help ensure that Minnesota schools acquire and retain well-qualified teachers. This board is made up primarily of teachers, which helps to ensure that the best interest of both teachers and students is in the forefront. One example of the ways the Minnesota Board of Teaching supports educators teaching in Minnesota, and encourages professional growth, is the Beginning/New Teacher Mentor Training Program, a free program that offers mentoring and training.
Overall, the prospects for teachers in Minnesota are expanding and offer higher than average compensation. Future Minnesota teachers can expect higher than average compensation and opportunities for growth.
Minnesota Teacher Requirements
In our increasingly complex world, those choosing a career of teaching in Minnesota can expect rules and mandates designed to make them keep up with the times. Minnesota teachers currently have higher expectations placed upon them to succeed in forming young minds than in many other areas of the United States.
For those choosing the role of teaching in Minnesota for future employment, it is almost a given that some pressure will be there to increase your degree level from the required BA to enter the field, into a Master or PhD level of degree while participating in classroom teaching.
Minnesota has problems shared with other areas of the United States that will take some time to resolve. There are shortages of teachers interested in applying for some jobs in special education areas, or within the math and science departments in schools. Further, Minnesota is not producing enough qualified college graduates to meet all classroom needs so that many new teachers must come from other states or countries to teach.
Many jobs will continue to be available to those who want a career teaching in Minnesota for years to come. Pressures today to increase the quality of classroom learning experiences are new and just now becoming settled into the minds or routines of those involved in the Minnesota school districts.