ACTION REQUIRED: Electronic Notice of Intent to Apply –Master Teacher Certification Grant Program must be submitted by5:00 pm CST,Friday,October 2, 2009.
September 24, 2009
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED
Subject: Notice of Intent to Apply–Master Teacher Certification GrantProgram
The Texas Education Agency is requesting a Notice of Intent to Apply for the Master Teacher Certification Grant (MT) Program. The Master Teacher Certification Grant program provides funding to school districts for professional development that will result in a Master Teacher certificate. Districts can reimburse teachers interested in becoming a certified Master Teacher in Mathematics or Science up to $3,000 toward the cost of obtaining a Master Teacher certificate.
Only Texas public school districts and open enrollment charter schools with pre-determinedeligible campuses may apply for this funding. Eligibility lists are posted at: Notice of Intent to Apply (NOI) must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm CST,Friday,October 2, 2009in order to be eligible for Master Teacher Certification Grant funds. The NOI can be found on the TEA website at: Click on:Master Teacher Certification Grant Notice of Intent to Apply.
Description of Program:
The purpose of the Master Teacher E-Grant program is to provide funding to school districts for professional development that will lead to an increased number of certified mathematics and science Master Teachers to serve as mentors on eligible high-need campuses. The Master Teacher certification allows teachers to mentor and help develop other teachers in their subject areas at the high-need campus and improve student performance in mathematics and science. In addition, those teachers have the possibility eligibility for future Master Teacher stipends.
Project Funding:
Funding is authorized by General Appropriations Act, Article III, Rider 38(d), 81st Texas Legislature, 2009 which authorizes the use of funds to increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher quality along with holding local education agencies (LEAs) accountable for improvements in student academic achievement. Approximately $750,000 is available to applicants selected for funding. Maximum grant award for all eligible applicants is $3,000 per teacher who becomes certified as a Master Mathematics or Master Science Teacher. The 2010-2011Master Teacher Certification Application will be administered by the Division of Discretionary Grants (through e-Grant format only) and will be available on December 1, 2009 at the following link:
Selection Criteria:
Applications for funding will be accepted frompre-determined eligible campuses that submit an NOIfor the Master Teacher Certification Grant program. The project period is tentatively scheduled to begin June 1, 2010 and end May 31, 2012.
Consideration for grant awards will only be given to districts that submit the required NOIby 5:00 pm CST, Friday, October 2, 2009.
TEA reserves the right to select from the highest-need applications that meet the program requirements of the Master Teacher Certification Grant program. TEA is not obligated to approve an application, provide funds, or endorse any Notice of Intent to Apply submitted in response to this solicitation. The issuance of this solicitation does not obligate TEA to award a grant or pay any costs incurred in preparing a response.
For questions regarding the Notice of Intent to Apply, please contact Dr. Glendelia M. Zavala at (512) 463-6443 or via e-mail at .
Sincerely,
Carla Valadez, Director
Educator Initiatives and Performance