The College of Menominee Nation Teacher Education Department has been awarded $1.74 million over five years through the U.S. Department of Education’s Indian Education Professional Development Grant.
This funding supports Indigenous students pursuing a bachelor of science degree in elementary/middle school education and aims to increase the number of qualified Indigenous teachers serving their own communities.
Through this new initiative, Project ROOTS (Resilience-Oriented Opportunities for Teacher Success), CMN will provide a culturally grounded, community-based pathway to teacher licensure. Project ROOTS emphasizes resilience, relationships and reciprocity — preparing teachers to serve Native students with respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of learning.
“This grant represents an incredible opportunity to grow our own teachers,” said Kelli Chelberg, CMN Teacher Education Department chair. “Project ROOTS honors Indigenous values by preparing educators who understand and reflect the communities they will serve.”
Geraldine Sanapaw, chief academic 0fficer, added, “Project ROOTS reflects our commitment to growing teachers from within our own communities — educators who carry our values, languages, and ways of knowing into the classroom.”
The grant is designed to increase the number of qualified Native individuals in professions that serve Native communities and provide training for Native individuals to become teachers in schools with high proportions of Native students.
Project ROOTS highlighted goals are to:
• Recruit and graduate 20 Indigenous students with a bachelor’s degree and teaching license in elementary/middle school education.
• Offer an accelerated three-year degree program, including summer coursework, to support full-time and non-traditional students.
• Provide monthly stipends, childcare credits, and academic support to help students stay focused on their studies.
• Require students to enroll full-time and work part-time to prioritize academic success.
• Offer two years of post-graduation induction support and collaboration with tribal and local schools for job placement and retention.
For more information about Project ROOTS or the teacher education program at the College of Menominee Nation, visit www.menominee.edu or contact Chelberg at kchelberg@menominee.edu.
