AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Mike Morath today announced that applications for the 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program are now being accepted.

Local educational agencies including school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, as well as education service centers, educator preparation programs and institutions of higher education are eligible for the grant program, which aims to elevate the teaching profession in Texas by developing high-quality education and training courses at the high school level.

“With an emphasis on small and rural school districts, the Grow Your Own: Teachers grant program addresses challenges Texas currently faces in terms of recruiting and retaining teacher candidates in hard-to-staff areas,” said Commissioner Morath. “Through this initiative, districts can create grant-funded teacher pipelines to increase the pool and diversity of Texas’ future classroom leaders.”

The 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers grant can be used by districts to encourage high school students to consider teaching as a career and paraprofessionals, teacher aides, and/or long-term substitutes to pursue certification. The grants can also be used by educator preparation programs to support student teachers during their year-long clinical teaching or teacher candidates during their intensive pre-service training.

The 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2, grant represents the second opportunity for school districts, charters, education service centers and institutions of higher education to be part of this initiative. The first 25 grantees were announced in spring 2018 and include: Amarillo ISD; Angleton ISD; Burkeville ISD; Chapel Hill ISD (Smith County); Cumby ISD; Everman ISD; Fort Stockton ISD; Grand Prairie ISD; Lamar CISD; Lometa ISD; Midland ISD; Moody ISD; O’Donnell ISD; Pearsall ISD; Region 2 Education Service Center (Corpus Christi); Region 5 Education Service Center (Beaumont); Region 6 Education Service Center (Huntsville); Snook ISD; Socorro ISD; Springtown ISD; Stafford MSD; Stephen F. Austin State University; Texas Tech University; Texas Woman’s University; and Timpson ISD.

In addition to the 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program, TEA is also accepting applications for the 2019–2020 Principal Preparation, Cycle 2 grant program. Principal Preparation grants can be used by LEAs to cover preparation/certification costs and implement a full-time, year-long residency for their aspiring principals.

Applications for the 2019-2020 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program and the 2019–2020 Principal Preparation, Cycle 2 grant program can be submitted through Nov. 13, 2018. Applications must be received by TEA by 5 p.m. (Central Time) on that day to be considered for funding. Grant application information can be found on TEA Grant Opportunities page on the TEA website.

Both the Grow Your Own: Teachers and Principal Preparation grant initiatives support TEA’s Strategic Priority to recruit, support, and retain teachers and principals. To learn more about the agency’s strategic priorities, visit https://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Welcome_and_Overview/TEA_Strategic_Plan/.