2024
Increase Teachers of Color Act (ITCA)
Ways You Can Make a Difference & Help ITCA Pass
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JOIN the Coalition to stay updated (it's free & easy!)
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RAISE AWARENESS using social media using #TeachersOfColorAct and with @IncreaseTOCAIT
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MOBILIZE students and families to demand passage
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CONVINCE your district/organization to endorse ITCA
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CONTACT key legislators urging their support (it's easy!)
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RECORD a brief video statement (it's easy!)
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ATTEND bill hearings in person and virtually
2023 Increase Teachers of Color Act (ITCA)
2023 was a historic session! Most of what we proposed in ITCA bills for important policies and investments was included and passed in the large Education omnibus bill even though ITCA wasn't signed into law as a stand-alone bill.
Several KEY COMPONENTS included in 2023 ITCA
These important proposals, among many others, will:
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Increase funding for popular "Grow Your Own" pathways to teaching for students, parents and non-licensed employees who are of color or American Indian.
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Increase college scholarships and student teaching grants for BIPOC to become teachers.
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Require school districts to address institutional racism within their school policies, structures and practices to close opportunity and achievement gaps.
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Provide all students with access to ethnic studies curriculum that is anti-racist and culturally relevant.
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Ensure that school learning and work environments affirm, embrace and integrate cultural and community strengths of students, families and staff.
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Establish an official state goal to increase the percentage of TOCAIT annually (increase of 1% = 630 teachers).
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Bill Overview & Summary
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E12 Bill: HF320 (Rep. Hassan) / SF619 (Sen. Kunesh)
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Higher Ed Bill: HF381 (Rep. Kozlowski) / SF267 (Sen. Fateh)
BROAD SUPPORT: Previous ITCA's since 2017 have all garnered bipartisan legislative authorship and endorsements from a wide range of more than 55 education and community organizations that don't agree on many other issues.
Adding Diversity to State Teaching Ranks is a Critical State Goal
(Star Tribune Editorial Board Opinion, 3/7/21)
THE MOMENT WAS MADE!
2023 was the year to finally pass most of ITCA, especially given the state's historic budget surplus and continued need to address all forms of systemic racism that still has not been done despite the peaceful protests by tens of thousands of Minnesotans and millions of people around the country and world in summer 2020 called for racial justice in various sectors of society, including education, in response to the police killing of George Floyd..
