The School of Urban Education at Metropolitan State University was established by the state legislature to meet the needs of schools and learners in Minneapolis, Saint Paul and diverse inner-ring suburbs. For the minimum of 40 hours required for program admission, we accept field experiences with urban youth inside or outside of school settings. For practicum experiences totaling a minimum of 120 hours after program admission as well as student teaching for 12-15 full-time weeks, placements must are made in public schools with teachers who are licensed in the area of license being sought. View the Urban Teacher Program Student Handbook for more information about other field experience requirements.
What is Urban?
The School of Urban Education defines “urban” within the Minnesota context in the following combined ways:
- Conceptually: “Urban” areas are densely populated, ethnically, racially, and linguistically pluralistic settings with mass transit that meet both specified geographic and demographic criteria.
- Demographically: “Urban” schools enroll significant numbers of students within at least one of the following demographic criteria that includes English Learners as well as students with special needs. “Urban” schools either enroll at least 40 percent students of color or at least 50 percent of the students quality for free or reduced-cost lunch.
- Geographically: “Urban” schools in Minnesota are located within the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area and are not within rural or ex-urban communities (see list and map below)
A map of Metro school districts can be found on the Minnesota Department of Education site.
Metro school districts with schools meeting “urban” demographic criteria
- Anoka-Hennepin
- Bloomington
- Brooklyn Center
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage
- Columbia Heights
- Eden Prairie
- Fridley
- Hopkins
- Inver Grove Heights
- Minneapolis
- Mounds View
- North Saint Paul-Maplewood
- Osseo
- Richfield
- Robbinsdale
- Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
- Roseville
- Shakopee
- South Saint Paul
- South Washington County
- Spring Lake Park
- Saint Louis Park
- Saint Paul
- West Saint Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan
- White Bear Lake
The School of Urban Education also expects that such experience needs to have occurred within the past five years to qualify for admission to the program. It is the responsibility of teacher candidates to provide documentation of the demographics for a particular school or classroom to verify it meets the School of Urban Education's minimum expectations for diversity. Demographic information can be found at district or school websites or at MDE's Data Center.