Program Office: Teacher and Student Development Programs Service

CFDA Number: 84.336
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: Teacher Quality

The three Teacher Quality programs authorized by Title II--State Grants, Partnership Grants, and Teacher Recruitment Grants--are intended to make lasting changes in the ways teachers are recruited, prepared, licensed, and supported. One clear goal of these grants is supporting efforts to reduce shortages of qualified teachers in high-need school districts.

The TQE program includes three types of discretionary grants. Each grant type brings a unique approach to improving teacher preparation programs throughout the country.

State Grants (# 84.336A)
State grants seek to promote statewide teacher preparation reform activities through the linkage of K-12 and higher education institutions to stimulate systemic policy and practice changes in such areas as teacher preparation, certification and licensing, and practice. Grant activities focus on improving content knowledge, teaching methods, and technology preparation; enhancing future teachers' clinical experiences; mentoring new teachers; recruiting teachers for high-need schools; encouraging meaningful teacher accountability; and providing high-quality professional development activities for both new and experienced teachers.

Partnership Grants (# 84.336B)
Partnership grants seek to raise student achievement and improve learning by bringing about fundamental change and improvement in teacher preparation programs. Grant activities focus on increasing teachers' academic content preparation; integrating research-based teaching methods into the education curriculum; providing sustained preservice clinical or field experiences; and creating opportunities for professional development activities that improve content knowledge and strengthen teaching skills.

Recruitment Grants (# 84.336C)
Recruitment grants seek to assist in teacher recruitment reforms at the state and higher education levels. Applicants must identify critical needs for recruiting and preparing highly qualified teachers. Project activities are expected to develop strategies to improve capacity to hire and retain highly qualified teachers; they must focus on identifying pools of potential teachers who can meet these critical needs, recruiting teachers from these pools, and designing high-quality preparation and induction programs based on the best current research to prepare them.