The U.S. Department of Education (Department) thinks preparing, developing and supporting a diverse educator workforce is critical to strengthening student success. Additionally, eliminating high-need shortage areas in teaching helps to ensure all students have access to a high-quality, well-rounded education.  The Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Program advances these broad objectives through an emphasis on close partnerships among States, Tribes, local educational agencies (LEAs), and educator preparation programs.

Purpose

The purposes of the TQP program include the following:

• Improve student achievement;
• Improve the preparation of prospective teachers;
• Enhance professional development activities for new teachers;
• Hold teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) accountable for preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements; and
• Recruit highly qualified individuals, including individuals of color and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force.

Eligible Entities

An eligible applicant must be an “eligible partnership” as defined in section 200(6) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

The term “eligible partnership” means an entity that must include all five of the following:

(i)  A high-need Local Education Agency (LEA);

(ii) A high-need school (or consortium of high-need schools) served by the high-need LEA, OR a high-need early childhood education (ECE) program;

(iii) A partner institution;

(iv) A school, department, or program of education within a partner institution (may include an existing teacher professional development program within a four-year IHE) that provides intensive and sustained collaboration between faculty and LEAs (consistent with the requirements of title II of the HEA); and

(v) A school or department of arts and sciences within such partner institution.

In addition, an “eligible partnership” may include any of the following:

(i) The Governor of the State, State educational agency (SEA), State board of education, or State agency for higher education;

(ii) A business, public or private nonprofit educational organization, or educational service agency;

(iii) A teacher organization;

(iv) A high-performing LEA, consortium of such LEAs, or charter school that serve as a resource to the partnership.

(v) Other bodies specified in section 200(6) of the HEA.

More information on eligible partnerships can be found in the TQP FAQ document on the program website at Effective educator development programs: Teacher quality partnerships.

Eligible Activities

Under section 202(d) and (e) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), during the 60-month project period, eligible partnerships must implement either

(i) teacher preparation programs at the pre baccalaureate or “fifth-year” level that expand existing or create new teacher preparation programs in IHEs; or

(ii) teacher residency programs for individuals who are recent graduates with strong academic backgrounds or are mid-career professionals from outside the field of education.

In addition, the TQP grant may fund the development of school leader programs in conjunction with one of the above.

Important Date

Application Deadline:  June 3, 2024 (11:59:59 p.m. Washington, DC time)

Award

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $25,000,000.

Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$2,000,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000 for the first year of the project; funding for years 2-5 is subject to availability and approval of continuation awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $2,000,000 to any applicant per 12-month budget period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 15-17.

Next Steps

For additional information, go to Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Effective Educator Development Programs: Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.336S; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Document

Document Citation: 89 FR 23573

Document Number:  2024-07183

Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.336S.

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:

Julius C Cotton, ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Administrator, at julius.cotton@ed.gov, OR

Mia Howerton, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Education, at Mia.Howerton@ed.gov or TQPartnership@ed.gov.