Future Teachers to Receive Critical Support Through New Regional Initiative
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – KConnect, in partnership with West Michigan Teacher Collaborative (WMTC), and Grand Valley State University (GVSU), has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Make MI Home initiative to pilot a community-based strategy addressing the urgent educator shortage in West Michigan. The Teach Here pilot will remove barriers into the teaching profession and provide a variety of supports for the next generation of educators.
The grant is part of the State of Michigan’s talent retention and attraction strategy, Make MI Home, which invests in innovative, community-driven solutions to address challenges across the state.
Teach Here supports and strengthens KConnect’s system-level strategy by improving the teacher pipeline, specifically by increasing the number of future educators and expanding access to high-quality, culturally responsive instruction for all students. The pilot project will remove key barriers for future educators in WMTC by providing support, including housing or relocation assistance, help navigating mental and other healthcare services, assistance finding childcare, and job placement support. This support will also be available to certified teachers in critical need areas who choose to relocate to West Michigan.
“The educator shortage in Michigan is a systems-level challenge that requires systems-level solutions,” said Salvador López, President and CEO of KConnect. “Teach Here not only addresses immediate workforce needs, it builds long-term capacity by developing a more local and sustainable pipeline of educators who reflect and understand the communities they serve.”
The pilot will be led in West Michigan through a collaborative effort among KConnect, WMTC, and GVSU. WMTC, a regional Grow Your Own initiative launched by Kent ISD, Ottawa Area ISD, and Muskegon ISD, is designed to grow and diversify the next generation of educators through aligned, cross-sector collaboration. Its work ensures the next generation of educators has access to wrap-around supports and multiple points of entry into the profession.
“This grant affirms the importance of our collective approach,” said Mary Kay Murphy, Executive Director of West Michigan Teacher Collaborative. “Teach Here not only strengthens WMTC’s pathway into the profession, it surrounds participants with a coalition of support; housing assistance, mental health care, childcare, and more, so they can truly thrive. Whether someone is a relocating certified teacher or an aspiring educator just starting their journey, this initiative ensures they’re welcomed into a community ready to invest in their long-term success.”
The Teach Here pilot demonstrates how state, regional, and local stakeholders can collaborate to address workforce challenges while promoting economic mobility for Michigan residents.
To learn more about the partnership, visit KConnect or teachwestmichigan.org.
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KConnect is a collective impact organization advancing economic mobility from prenatal to career in Kent County. By convening cross-sector partners and centering community voice, KConnect develops data-informed strategies that align policy and practice to close disparity gaps. For over a decade, it has served the greater Grand Rapids region as a nationally recognized model for systems change.
West Michigan Teacher Collaborative is a high-quality educator preparation and development program to ensure all students in Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa Area ISDs have excellent teachers who reflect the rich diversity of our students. Created in partnership with Grand Valley State University, WMTC removes barriers for those striving to become teachers who can dramatically and positively impact the lives of students, families and the communities they serve.
Media Contacts:
Katie Adrianse
Director of Communications
KConnect
616-644-7644
katie@k-connect.org
Joy Walczak
Communications Specialist
Kent ISD & School News Network
906-632-6290
joywalczak@kentisd.org
