NAICU Washington Update

$35 Million in Grants Available to Improve Teacher Quality and Student Achievement

March 04, 2022

In a move to encourage colleges and universities to work with local schools to improve teacher training, student achievement, and teacher recruitment and retention, the Department of Education announced the availability of dozens of Teacher Quality Partnership Grants. 

An estimated $35 million for 25-30 awards is projected to be available once Congress finalizes FY 2022 appropriations. To jumpstart the process, however, the Department has asked interested parties to submit a notice of intent to apply by March 28, 2022. The regular deadline for applications is April 26, 2022.  Pre-application webinars will be held to provide technical assistance for grant preparation.  

Applicant partnerships must include: 
  1. A high-need local education agency (LEA), a high-need school served by the LEA, or a high-need early childhood education (ECE) program; 
  2. A partner institution; a school, department, or program of education within such partner institution; and, 
  3. A school or department of arts and sciences within such partner institution. 
These partnerships should implement teacher preparation programs at the pre-baccalaureate, or “fifth-year” level, and include specific reforms for the institution’s existing teacher preparation programs.  Alternatively, a partnership could be focused on teacher residency programs for individuals who are recent graduates with strong academic backgrounds or are mid-career professionals from outside the field of education. 
The Department will look at four absolute priorities, four competitive priorities, and one invitational priority when reviewing applications.  

Absolute Priorities
  • Priority 1 will focus on new pre-baccalaureate programs.
  • Priority 2 will focus on teacher residency programs.
  • Priority 3 will focus on school leadership at new programs.
  • Priority 4 will focus on school leadership within residency programs. 
Competitive Priorities 
  • Priority 1 will need to address increasing educator diversity and teacher shortage areas in partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and other Minority-Serving Institutions. 
  • Priority 2 focuses on projects that support a diverse educator workforce certified and credentialed to teach in shortage areas. 
  • Priorities 3 and 4 look at projects that support safe and supportive learning environments that serve students’ social, emotional and academic needs and equity in student access to educational resources. 
Finally, one invitational priority is for projects to “Grow Your Own.” These would be partnerships between local education agencies and educator preparation programs to prepare local residents who will be retained in the community to build the teacher workforce capacity.

Very specific details, descriptions and definitions, based on recent amendments to the program, are included in the grant notice. 
 

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