Supporting Effective Educator Development
Grant: Supporting Effective Educator Development
Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Division: Office of Innovation and Improvement
Deadline: The deadline was April 15, 2013.
Description: This program provides funding for grants to national nonprofit organizations to support teacher and/or principal training projects, or provide professional enhancement activities for teachers and/or principals. All proposed activities must be supported by at least moderate evidence of effectiveness. Further definition of this qualification is found in the program notice. For this round of funding, there are three absolute priorities and three competitive preference priorities:
- Absolute Priority 1: Teacher and principal recruitment, selection and preparation. This priority is designed to increase the number or percentage of teachers and/or principals who are highly effective, especially teachers and/or principals who serve concentrations of high-need students.
- Absolute Priority 2: Professional development for teachers to improve their writing instruction. This priority is designed to improve student literacy and writing skills by creating or expanding practices and strategies that increase the number of highly effective teachers in this subject area.
- Absolute Priority 3: Advanced certification and advanced credentialing. To meet this priority, an applicant's plan must demonstrate that advanced certification and/or credentialing will be determined on the basis of a rigorous evaluation.
- Competitive Preference Priority 1: Supporting practices and strategies for which there is strong evidence of effectiveness. Projects that are supported by strong evidence can receive up to five additional points.
- Competitive Preference Priority 2: Improving efficiency. Projects that incorporate cost-effective, high quality services by making better use of available resources can receive one additional point.
- Competitive Preference Priority 3: Promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Projects that increase the professional development opportunities for teachers of STEM subjects, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups (minorities, individuals with disabilities, women, etc) can receive up to three additional points.
Fit for Public Broadcasting: A national audience is required for this program, so local stations that are interested in applying will need to partner with a national nonprofit organization. The goal of this program, to better recruit and train teachers, aligns well with public media's expertise in creating online resources and networks for teachers and professional development opportunities for teachers. Those with an interest in STEM are especially encouraged to participate. Public media stations that are interested in applying for this grant should make sure to have evidence that proves to potential partners that their teacher development programs are effective.
Eligibility: National nonprofit organizations that submit applications that are supported by at least moderate evidence are eligible.
Anticipated funding: Approximately $25,349,859 will be available for this competition. Awards will range from $5,000,000 - $15,000,000, and the estimated average size of awards is $8,300,000. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that they will make between one and five awards, with a project period of up to 36 months.
How to apply: Applicants can request application packages via email from Richard Wilson. Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to notify the U.S. Department of Education of their intent to apply by March 14, 2013. Applicants can do so by sending a short email message that need not include the content of the proposed project, only the applicant's intent to submit.
Full applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by April 15, 2013. Online submission requires registration, a process that usually takes three to five business days but can take as long as four weeks. Be sure to visit Grants.gov and begin registering well in advance of the deadline. To do business with the U.S. Department of Education, applicants must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and must maintain an active registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR).
Resources:
Program notice
Program website
