TRANSITION TO TEACHING

Description: The Transition to Teaching program supports the recruitment and retention of highly qualified mid-career professionals, including qualified paraprofessionals, and recent college graduates who have not majored in education to teach in high-need schools and districts through the development of new or enhanced alternative routes to certification.

The program provides five-year grants to state and local educational agencies, or for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, or institutions of higher education collaborating with state or local educational agencies. Grantees develop and implement comprehensive approaches to train, place, and support teacher candidates whom they have recruited into their programs, which must meet relevant State certification or licensing requirements. Grantees then ensure that program participants are placed to teach in high-need schools and districts and support candidates to serve in these placements for at least three years.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants for Transition to Teaching grants include

• A State educational agency (SEA).
• A high-need local educational agency (LEA).
• A for-profit or nonprofit organization that has a proven record of effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, in a partnership with a high-need LEA or SEA.
• An institution of higher education, in a partnership with a high-need LEA or SEA.
• A regional consortium of SEAs.
• A consortium of high-need LEAs.

By statute, the Department gives priority to applications from high-need SEAs and high-need LEAs. No cost sharing or matching was required for this competition. Funds awarded in this competition will be used to supplement, not supplant state and local public funding.

How to apply:

• View application information
• Apply online at Grants.gov

Anticipated funding: In 2009, the department made 14 new awards, ranging $300,00 - $750,000.

Program website: http://www.ed.gov/programs/transitionteach/index.html