Effective Educators for All: OII Announces 2016 Competitions to Strengthen Teacher Preparation and Leadership (From the website: http://innovation.ed.gov/2016/06/07/effective-educators-oii-announces-2016-competitions-strengthen-teacher-preparation-leadership/)
“In recent weeks, the Office of Innovation and Improvement announced two grant competitions – the Teacher Quality Partnership Program (TQP) and the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) – to ensure that all students have access to great teachers who can help them succeed.
TQP builds strong partnerships between high-need schools and teacher preparation institutions (e.g., colleges and universities) to prepare and support effective educators, either as an extension of an undergraduate degree program or using a “residency” model to give candidates real-world experience and practice as they prepare to become outstanding educators. Since 2009, TQP has partnered with 64 grantees, representing an investment of over $545 million. The FY16 TQP grant competition will fund up to 5 grantees with an estimated $5 million, and includes a focus on serving students in rural school districts as well as students from federally recognized Indian tribes, continuing the Department’s commitment to these communities.
“We don’t just want educators to be part of the necessary change—we need them to lead it.”– Secretary of Education John King
In addition to improving how we educate teachers to excel in the classroom, it is critically important that school districts have structures and policies in place to support, develop and retain excellent educators, especially in their highest-need classrooms. As in any other profession, teachers and principals need ongoing feedback and opportunities to develop throughout their career. TIF supports districts to do just that, as they implement performance-based compensation as part of an overall human capital management system to improve the quality of their educators and the academic outcomes of students. Through TIF, districts like Denver Public Schools have supported teacher leadership and development opportunities by creating differentiated roles. The FY16 grant competition will build on a portfolio of 97 grants, representing nearly $2 billion in funding to states, districts and nonprofits, by awarding up to $70 million to up to 10 grantees to attract, develop and retain excellent educators. This year’s competition includes a focus on serving rural school districts, as well as a focus on promoting equitable access to effective educators.
Visit the programs’ websites to learn more about the TQP and TIF grant competitions, including application materials.” (http://innovation.ed.gov/2016/06/07/effective-educators-oii-announces-2016-competitions-strengthen-teacher-preparation-leadership/)
