Minnesota Department of Education: Career Opportunities and Impact
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) offers a diverse range of career opportunities, contributing to the department's mission of ensuring quality education for every child, regardless of race or zip code. MDE's work impacts a broad spectrum of the public, including pre-K to grade 12 students, their families, school districts, teachers, adult learners, and young children in early learning programs.
MDE's Mission, Vision, and Values
The MDE's mission is "Ensuring every child receives a quality education, no matter their race or zip code." The department strives to achieve this by focusing on key areas such as teacher recruitment and retention, student wellness, and community support.
Diverse Career Opportunities
The Minnesota Department of Revenue offers many - and varied - career opportunities and options for advancement. The Minnesota Department of Education employs approximately 400 employees in its office in Minneapolis. MDE offers a variety of roles that cater to different skills and interests. These positions contribute to the education and development of students across the state.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
The Department of Education is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, and veteran-friendly employer. We are committed to providing culturally responsive services to all Minnesotans. The state of Minnesota recognizes that a diverse workforce is essential and strongly encourages qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. MDE values its diverse workforce and strives to provide a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, where all employees are empowered to deliver quality services. This commitment is reflected in its equal opportunity and affirmative action policies.
Initiatives and Programs
MDE is actively involved in several initiatives aimed at improving education and supporting students, families, and communities:
Read also: University of Minnesota Data
- Teacher Recruitment and Retention: The Minnesota Department of Education is investing in teacher recruitment and retention with grant funding available for Teacher Preparation Programs to plan and implement teacher residency and registered teacher apprenticeship programs. Teacher Preparation Programs can learn more and apply by Oct.
- Full-Service Community Schools: Minnesota is investing in supports for students, families and communities across Minnesota by increasing the number and capacities of Minnesota's full-service community schools with the Full-Service Community Schools Strategy Competitive Grant Opportunity.
- Student Wellness: Minnesota Department of Education is investing in student wellness with grant funding available for districts and schools to assist in developing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan. Districts and schools can learn more and apply by Oct.
- Farm to School: Nutrition Program Services Director Emily Honer helped Minneapolis Public Schools celebrate Farm to School at their annual Community BBQ. This Farm to Kids Month Nutrition staff partnered with Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools and Minnesota Department of Agriculture to taste test local peppers, greens and apples from Prior Lake-Savage’s Farm to Kids providers Waxwing Farms, Spring Lake Farm and Thompson’s Hilcrest Orchard.
- Data Prioritization: Lindsey Talbot, Allie Gebauer, Kari Johnson and Heather Harvick from our education finance (Ed-Fi) team presented on how they prioritize data needs for schools, districts and other local education authorities at the Ed-Fi 2025 National Summit.
Impact on Education
MDE's work directly impacts a significant portion of the Minnesota population:
- 850,000 pre-K to grade 12 students and their parents/guardians
- 339 school districts
- 52,781 licensed teachers
- 1,835 public schools
- 82,000 adult learners participating in adult basic education
- 118,214 young children and their families participating in early learning programs
Recognizing Excellence
MDE also recognizes outstanding achievements in education. Congratulations to Reece Kyran Joshi of Minneapolis, a student of Southwest High School, and Julia Lorenzen of Minneapolis, a student of St. Louis Park High School, on being named Presidential Scholars! Shoutout to MDE Student Support Personnel Specialist Megan Lagasse on being named 2025 Friend of School Social Work by the Minnesota School Social Workers’ Association for her leadership and advocacy, which has made school social work in Minnesota stronger, more connected and better equipped!
How to Apply
Carefully read the minimum qualifications listed in the job posting to determine if you have the qualifications needed. Subscribe to our Human Resources Updates list to receive the latest information about MDE job openings.
Connection to the University of Minnesota
The thriving Twin Cities campus stretches more than 1,150 acres in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Nestled around the scenic Mississippi River, the Minneapolis campus sits under the shadow of a sparkling downtown skyline. The nearby St. Paul campus is home to rolling green space and historic architecture. In addition to the vibrant cultural scene, you will have access to a real-world laboratory for your research. Minnesota is home to 18 fortune 500 companies, more than 845,000 students and 2,400 schools, and some of the most innovative ideas in education and human development - meaning endless opportunities for you to put your research into practice. We acknowledge that the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is built within the traditional homelands of the Dakota people. It is important to acknowledge the peoples on whose land we live, learn, and work as we seek to improve and strengthen our relations with our tribal nations. We also acknowledge that words are not enough.
Read also: Guide to UMN Merit Scholarships
Read also: UMN Cost of Attendance
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