• Teacher preparation improves the quality of education.Geography Class image by redrex from Fotolia.com
  
  According to the Education Commission of the States, national efforts are under way to improve teacher preparation and education programs. The goal is to produce more effective teachers, thereby improving the quality of education. Based on its research, the commission reports that teacher preparation should address student retention in teacher education programs, stronger teacher knowledge of subject matter, mastery of diverse instructional strategies, knowledge of student performance standards, improved responses by teacher education programs to nontraditional teaching students and increased real-world practical experience for teachers. Government agencies and foundations provide grants to teacher preparation programs to impact the quality of education.
  
  

Bush Foundation

• The Bush Foundation's primary goal for education funding is to improve education through support for teacher preparation. The foundation provides grants in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. Grants are made to the Teacher Preparation Network and the foundation's Teacher Effectiveness Initiative supports programs at higher-education institutions in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. The foundation also makes grants through its Bush Educators, Higher Education and Match, and Science for Girls and Minorities programs. The foundation invites inquiries about funding.
  
  Bush Foundation
  332 Minnesota St,, Suite East 900
  St. Paul, MN 55101
  651-227-0891
  bushfoundation.org
  
  

Internationalizing Teacher Preparation

• The Longview Foundation grant supports teacher preparation in all subject areas. The foundation supports programs that work with future teachers to develop their global expertise. Teacher preparation activities may include strategies to include world language teachers in existing programs, professional development, revisions to teacher education requirements and fieldwork in international classrooms and multicultural communities. The foundation also supports collaborative projects aimed at administrators and future teachers, or between teacher preparation networks. Grants range from $15,000 to $30,000. Eligible applicants include government, state coalitions of leaders in education, and business and community organizations. The foundation does not support programs that reach few teachers. Applicants must submit letters of inquiry using the foundation's online form prior to submitting a proposal.
  
  Longview Foundation
  1069 W. Broad St., Suite 801
  Falls Church, VA 22046
  703-862-0023
  longviewfdn.org
  
  

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

• The National Science Foundation provides the ATE grant to support partnerships between educational institutions and employers for programs that prepare undergraduate and K-12 science and engineering technicians. The ATE program focuses primarily on two-year colleges. Activities may include professional development, curriculum development and career transition to two-year and four-year colleges. The foundation encourages new applicants to submit preliminary proposals. Eligible applicants include educational institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations and government agencies. Applicants may use the Grants.gov website to submit proposals (see Resources).
  
  The National Science Foundation
  4201 Wilson Blvd.
  Arlington, VA 22230
  703-292-5111
  800-281-8749 TDD
  nsf.gov
  
  

Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant Program

• The Massachusetts Department of Education provides the teacher preparation grant to assist public school paraprofessionals in completing programs of study leading to teacher certification. Applicants must be legal Massachusetts residents and U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. Applicants must be enrolled full- or part-time in an undergraduate degree program at a Massachusetts public college and employed a minimum of two years as a paraprofessional. The grant supports teacher certification in high-need disciplines only: science, math, special education, and foreign and bilingual education. Grant amounts range from $4,000 to $7,300.
  
  Massachusetts Department of Education
  Office of Student Financial Assistance
  454 Broadway, Suite 200
  Revere, MA 02151
  617-727-9420
  osfa.mass.edu
  
  

Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants

• The Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants include the Partnership Grant and the Teacher Recruitment Grant. The U.S. Department of Education provides the grants to improve teacher recruitment and preparation, licensing and support. Higher education institutions and local education agencies may apply for the grants. The Partnership Grants support partnerships between higher education teacher preparation programs and high-need local education agencies.
  
  U.S. Department of Education, OPE
  Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program
  1990 K Street, N.W., Suite 7000
  Washington, DC 20006
  202-502-7676
  2.ed.gov