Teacher Quality Partnership Grants

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), focuses on raising student achievement by developing and supporting a high quality teaching force.

The new Title II, Part A of ESEA creates Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to strengthen teacher quality and increase the number of highly qualified teachers and principals. In Connecticut, the higher education component of this initiative is known as the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program. It replaces the Eisenhower Professional Development Grant Program and the Connecticut Collaborations for Teaching the Arts and Humanities.

For 2003, the Connecticut Department of Higher Education is authorized to award $663,199 in competitive Teacher Quality Partnership Grants for professional development projects for teachers, paraprofessionals and principals across 10 core academic subjects (English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, the arts, history and geography). Preference will be given to proposals which address at least one of several priorities, among them projects that seek to:

· increase teacher mastery of subject matter, especially in mathematics, science and the essential themes which define the American experience

· recruit and prepare minority teachers, and

· improve the leadership skills of principals.

Applicants must be partnerships consisting of at least:

1) the division of a Connecticut public or independent institution of higher education that prepares teachers and principals,

2) one or more schools or departments of arts and sciences at that institution, and

3) one or more high-need schools or school districts in Connecticut.

Other schools, colleges, education groups and non-profit organizations may serve as additional partners. Please note that no single participant in an eligible partnership may use more than 50 percent of the partnership grant award.

Project periods may vary over a period of 17 months. Multi-year activities are allowed based on available funds and progress in meeting goals. Requested project amounts depend on the scope of the activities proposed; there are no minimum or maximum award limits. Proposals are due January 10, 2003 and grant awards will be announced February 7, 2003.

Important Notice: The U.S. Department of Education issued final regulatory guidance about this program on December 27, 2002. This document contains expanded definitions and clarifications that may affect applicant eligibility. Please review it carefully.

For assistance in preparing applications and exploring application ideas, please contact Connie Fraser at 860/947-1801. Pre-application discussions may eliminate expenditures of time and energy on proposals which might be ineligible for funding and help applicants prepare strong, fully competitive proposals.

Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Application
List of school districts with percentage of poverty for each (provided to help applicants determine "high need" school districts).
Final 12/2002 Federal Regulatory Guidance