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Improving Teacher Quality Project

What Is The Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program?

The Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program (formerly the Eisenhower Professional Development Program) was enacted to improve teacher quality and instructional leadership through partnerships between high need elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary education institutions. This program gives states the flexibility to implement strategies that meet specified needs to improve teacher quality and raise student learning in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, arts, civics and government, economics, English, foreign languages, geography, and history. Since federal funds were first allocated to postsecondary institutions for this purpose in 1984, the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) has administered the grants.

The Improving Teacher Quality Program was originally authorized under the Education for Economic Security Act of 1984. It was reauthorized under the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) of 1994, and once again when President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. The NCLB Act pledges federal support to states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to assist in improving the subject matter knowledge of the nation's current and prospective K-12 teaching professionals. While much of that funding is allocated directly to K-12 agencies, a portion continues to be granted to institutions of higher education through CPEC.

Details of the Program

  • Since the program’s creation, CPEC has received approximately $75 million and has awarded more than 200 competitive grants to partnerships between California institutions of higher education, local educational institutions and nonprofit organizations for the professional development of current and prospective teachers.

  • At its inception, the program awarded grants to projects focused on the areas of mathematics and science; however, Congress expanded the program in 1994 to include seven additional subject areas: arts, civics and government, economics, English, foreign languages, geography, and history.

  • Each state develops its funding priorities and conducts a competition to make awards to carry out teacher development projects designed for K-12 teachers and other school personnel. Many elementary and secondary students are also served either directly or indirectly.

  • Grants are awarded to institutions of higher education to collaborate with K-12 teachers and administrators in meeting the objectives of the program.

  • Currently, approximately 30 projects are operated throughout California by institutions in all three systems of public higher education (the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges) as well as various independent institutions and non-profit organizations.

  • These projects vary by size, the population served, the number of students involved, and the primary activities offered to elementary and secondary teachers and college students considering teaching as a career.

  • All projects share the common goal of improving teaching and learning in California's schools.

  • Under NCLB, there is a particular emphasis on helping school districts provide a “highly qualified” teacher in every classroom, based on the law’s requirements.

The California Approach

  • The projects in California emphasize areas with the greatest potential to serve teachers and teacher candidates from schools and/or school districts with a large number of students identified as underrepresented in college-preparatory mathematics and science in secondary education, or from schools that have low college-going rates.

  • The projects utilize a variety of vehicles to:

    • Increase teachers’ pedagogical and content knowledge in the subject area;
    • Increase teachers’ awareness of changing assessment strategies; and
    • Increase teachers’ understanding of how to best serve a culturally diverse student population.

  • The California ITQ projects seek to foster awareness of educational reform efforts and implement long-term systemic changes in teaching.

the importance of partnerships

Improving Teacher Quality awards are made to accredited two and four-year institutions of higher education in partnership with a local educational agency (district, school, etc.). Under federal guidelines, the primary partnership must include a K-12 district or school, the applying institution's school/department of education, and a school of arts and sciences. While not required as part of the primary partnership, other entities such as informal education agencies, nonprofit agencies, community-based organizations, and appropriate businesses may participate in the partnership.

what are high need local education agencies and schools?

A high need Local Education Agency (LEA) is one that serves at least 10,000 children from families with incomes below the poverty line, OR that has schools in which 20 percent or more of the students are from families below the poverty line. A high need school is one in which a high percentage of teachers are teaching subjects outside of their certification level OR in which there is a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary credentials.

what is scientifically-based research?

NCLB attempts to focus the education community on strategies that have been proven to work in schools. As such, projects funded under the NCLB Act must be grounded in scientifically based research—research that applies rigorous, systemic, and objective procedures to obtain knowledge of teaching competencies that improve student academic achievement.

what are funding initiatives under the request for proposals process?

Commission members, staff, and the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Advisory Committee work together to identify statewide areas of need. The overarching need is to increase the number of teaching professionals that persist in the field of teaching through innovative teacher recruitment, preparation, and professional development. Generally, the Request for Proposals (RFP) process is targeted to specific initiatives that help meet the statewide areas of need as identified. The initiatives are adjusted each time an RFP process is announced. Proposals are expected to address one or more of the specific initiatives in order to be funded.

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