Best Professional Development Grants for Teachers in Texas

The 2025-2026 Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Regional Support Grant aims to enhance the capacity of Education Service Centers (ESCs) in Texas to assist school systems with TIA implementation. This grant will fund dedicated staff to provide tailored technical support, fostering collaboration with various educational initiatives. Administered by the Texas Education Agency, the program benefits local educational agencies, including school districts and charter schools, ensuring effective resource allocation for improved educational outcomes.

The 2025-2026 Texas Strategic Compensation for Districts Grant, awarded by the Texas Education Agency, aims to assist school districts in moving towards a compensation model that rewards educators based on effectiveness rather than tenure. This initiative supports local educational agencies, charter schools, and nonprofit organizations in fostering a more effective educational environment, ultimately enhancing the quality of teaching and administration across Texas.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations.

Humanities Texas

Program Description

The 89th Texas Legislature funds the Humanities Texas Teacher Institute Program to provide training and support to teachers in their first or second year of service in geographic areas with low student achievement on state assessments.

The Meadows Foundation Grant Program is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Texans through diverse funding initiatives across education, environment, arts, and health. With a focus on community development and support for nonprofit organizations, the foundation aims to address pressing issues like homelessness and mental health. By prioritizing programs that offer measurable outcomes, they foster innovation and empower local efforts, ensuring a lasting impact in Texas. This grant program reflects a commitment to sustainable development and community well-being.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations.

P-TECH Continued Support Grant

Program Description

This grant will implement innovative strategies for providing a robust model of support to P-TECH campuses in the CCRSM network:

• Developing strategy and resources for successfully scaling CCRSM programs with fidelity to increase the number of CCRSM teachers and CCRSM students
• CCRSM leaders from campuses, districts, institutes of higher education, and business and industry to support and sustain a mature CCRSM model.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

TalentED Dashboards Grant

Program Description

To support the Strategic Priority for recruiting, supporting, and retaining effective teachers and principals, TEA is seeking Region 4 to act as a technical assistance provider with key activities including engagement with end users, oversight of the development of technical solutions, support, and updates to provide school systems with key data, coordination of Texas Education Exchange application partners, and tracking of end-user engagement with the application.

The 2025-2026 ESC School Improvement Facilitation Grant aims to enhance the capacity of Education Service Centers (ESCs) to provide sustained support to Title I school systems and campuses labeled for Comprehensive Support and Improvement. This grant focuses on facilitating ESF Diagnostics, offering technical assistance for plan submissions, and implementing crucial leadership instructional practices and performance management structures to foster educational improvement.

Texas Instructional Leadership (TIL) Program Tracker

The grant provides a consistent online program for all ESCs to use for recording action steps and coaching of LEAs and seeks to gain program management and Drupal development assistance to provide continued support.  

The 2025-2026 Perkins V grant aims to enhance career and technical education (CTE) for secondary students by developing their academic and employability skills. It focuses on integrating rigorous academic and technical instruction, increasing flexibility in service provision, and building partnerships among educational institutions and industries. Additionally, the program seeks to support underrepresented populations, ensuring they gain the necessary skills for competitive employment in high-demand fields.

2026-2027 ESC State Gifted and Talented Performance Standards Initiative

Program Information

The purpose of the program is to implement Gifted/Talented (G/T) education projects that make up the Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP). Region 13 Education Service Center (ESC) – Advanced Academic Services will oversee the development of the projects and provide leadership and project management.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

Effective Advising Framework Planning Grant

Program Description

The purpose of this grant program is to develop, maintain, and deliver core services to school systems as identified under TEC §8.051 and in accordance with the purposes of Regional Education Service Centers as established in TEC §8.002.

The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation, established in 1987, has invested over $70 million in grants to enhance community life through education, arts, health, and social services. The Foundation focuses on innovative solutions to persistent challenges, supporting projects primarily in Waco, Texas, while also engaging in discretionary funding for broader initiatives. Its mission emphasizes building resilience and fostering civic participation, ensuring that programs enrich lives, particularly for underserved populations.

The 2025-2026 SP Supports 3 program by the Texas Education Agency aims to empower families of emergent bilingual (EB) students through effective engagement activities. The initiative focuses on providing educators and families with training and resources to enhance collaboration in instructional decisions. By leveraging statewide in-person and virtual training, the program seeks to strengthen school systems' internal practices for engaging families, ultimately fostering a supportive environment for EB students.

The TeachTX Pilot Grant, administered by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance the educator pipeline through innovative Grow Your Own (GYO) initiatives. By implementing high-quality, campus-based recruitment and leadership development strategies, the program seeks to engage students in education careers. Through targeted support and stakeholder collaboration, the grant fosters early leadership experiences and increases participation in teaching-related programs, ultimately contributing to a robust future workforce in education.

The Teacher Time Analysis and Supports Pilot Year 1 Grant, administered by the Texas Education Agency, focuses on alleviating teacher workload constraints. This initiative aims to provide technical assistance to school systems, helping them analyze teacher time use and develop actionable plans. By fostering an understanding of operational policies and practices, the grant seeks to enhance student learning and improve working conditions for teachers, ultimately sustaining effective teaching in Texas schools.

The Bluebonnet Learning Beacon Grant, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, supports Texas school systems in implementing K-5 math and reading language arts instructional materials. It promotes collaboration among educators through Bluebonnet Learning Labs and a community of practice. Grant recipients develop materials like case studies and classroom videos to showcase effective practices, enhancing student engagement and instructional quality across participating schools.

The School Improvement PLC Supports grant, funded by the Texas Education Agency, aims to bolster instructional practices at Title I campuses identified for improvement. By providing resources such as enhanced PLC facilitation, increased observations, and individualized coaching, the initiative seeks to strengthen the use of high-quality instructional materials. Ultimately, the goal is to improve student outcomes by ensuring effective implementation of educational strategies within these schools.

2026-2027 Teach for America Grant

The purpose of this grant is to support proven models to increase the number of effective teachers in Texas classrooms.

The goal of the program is to increase the number of effective teachers and leaders in Texas public schools by funding TFA. As a proven model, TFA will use funds to increase and improve the teaching skills and practices of TFA corps members with an emphasis on those teaching Bilingual/ESL, science, math and economically disadvantaged elementary and secondary students. The participating corps members must serve students in the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, Greater Austin, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools. Professional development and training should increase student achievement in focus subject areas.

Funding will emphasize:

• The employment and retention of TFA teachers in the field of mathematics
• Pre-service training with content-specific training for math and science
• Ongoing support to corps members with an emphasis on those in Bilingual/ESL, science math and economically disadvantaged high need classroom placements for the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, Greater Austin, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools
• Evidence of implementation of a plan to improve retention rates of TEA teachers

The 2025-2026 Sustainable Residency Implementation Continuation Grant, administered by the Texas Education Agency, supports school systems in Texas to sustain paid teacher residency programs. This funding enables previously supported systems to continue implementing effective residency models in preparation for future funding. The grant aims to enhance teacher recruitment and retention, ensuring immediate instructional needs are addressed while promoting accessible residency pathways for aspiring educators.

The 2025-2026 Discipline and Behavior Supports Grant, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance educational practices for students with disabilities. This program focuses on developing technical assistance and professional development resources, addressing behavioral interventions and alternatives to exclusionary discipline. It intends to support educators in effectively managing challenging behaviors and improving outcomes for students. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the grant seeks to ensure that all voices are heard in the educational process.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations. 

TeachTX Grant App

The purpose of the TeachTX grant is to strengthen the educator pipeline by supporting the implementation of high-quality, campus-based recruitment and leadership development strategies for future educators. Through targeted technical assistance, resource development, and stakeholder engagement, this grant empowers grantees to build sustainable systems that elevate student awareness of education careers, increase participation in Programs of Study aligned to teaching, and foster early leadership experiences through Career and Technical Student Organizations.

2026-2027 Jira-Incident Management System (TIMS)

Program Description

The Texas Student Data System (TSDS), a statewide initiative by TEA, modernizes education data collection, management, and reporting to improve student outcomes through enhanced TPEIR reporting. To support TSDS users — including school system administrators and educators — the grantee will host, develop, maintain, and upgrade an automated incident management system/help desk for all user-facing TSDS applications, delivered via the Jira platform.

2026-2027 ESC ESSA Basic Services Initiative

Program Description

The purpose of the ESC ESSA Basic Services Initiative is primarily to provide support for and to work cooperatively with campuses and provide technical assistance to other ESSA programs that increase opportunities for all students to meet challenging State academic assessment standards. 

Read Conmigo Grant Program

Advancing Dual-Language  Education for Bilingual Students

The Read Conmigo Educator Grants support educators in dual-language (Spanish-English) programs at public and charter elementary schools. Grant applications are accepted twice annually in the spring and the fall.

Each year, The Kemper Foundation awards up to 100 Read Conmigo Educator Grants of $3,000 each. Grant funds must be used towards classroom resources and/or professional development that advance dual-language (Spanish-English) education for bilingual students.

Classroom Resources Examples of eligible uses:

• Audiovisual equipment
• Books
• Computers
• Field Trip(s)
• Furniture
• Games
• Lesson plans
• Manipulatives
• Technology

Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri

The Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri Inc. was established in 2009 as a 501(c)3 public charity to help donors support their favorite charities while receiving maximum tax advantage.

We serve as a vehicle for charitable giving, helping donors give to the causes they care about. Donor gifts will strengthen nonprofits increasing programs and services. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to establish a fund with us. 

Townsend, R.E. Educational Scholarship

This fund was established by the trustees of the R.E. Townsend Educational Fund to provide academic scholarships to students intending to further their education.

Guidelines:

Scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis and disbursed in August.

Amount:

Minimum of $1,000 and maximum of $2,000 per recipient depending on the fund balance. 

About Legacy Foundation

Legacy Foundation is the community foundation for Lake County, Indiana. We connect people, knowledge, and funding to build an equitable, accessible, and inclusive Lake County, now and for generations to come.

Legacy Foundation is supported by a broad base of individuals, families, and businesses connected by the desire to improve Lake County, Indiana. With a growing portfolio of over 300 funds and approximately $80 million in assets, Legacy Foundation is a trusted source for philanthropic giving in the region.

For over 30 years, Legacy Foundation has been empowering people, providing strategic leadership, and impactful philanthropic support to create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Mission Statement

Transforming Lake County by providing strategic leadership and impactful philanthropic support to ensure equitable opportunity for all communities that we serve.

Vision Statement

Create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Scott Campion Scholarship for Special Education Teacher

Use the chart below to see which scholarships are the best fit for you! You must complete the Legacy Universal Application to apply.

Scholarship eligibility requires students to attend an accredited 2 or 4 year public or private institution of higher learning. All scholarships are for full-time students, unless otherwise noted. Renewable awards are for 4 years of undergraduate study and cannot be used for post graduate coursework; all awards are paid directly to the school or may be used for book reimbursement.

About Legacy Foundation

Legacy Foundation is the community foundation for Lake County, Indiana. We connect people, knowledge, and funding to build an equitable, accessible, and inclusive Lake County, now and for generations to come.

Legacy Foundation is supported by a broad base of individuals, families, and businesses connected by the desire to improve Lake County, Indiana. With a growing portfolio of over 300 funds and approximately $80 million in assets, Legacy Foundation is a trusted source for philanthropic giving in the region.

For over 30 years, Legacy Foundation has been empowering people, providing strategic leadership, and impactful philanthropic support to create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Mission Statement

Transforming Lake County by providing strategic leadership and impactful philanthropic support to ensure equitable opportunity for all communities that we serve.

Vision Statement

Create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Joseph and Marla Dernay Future Teacher Scholarship

Use the chart below to see which scholarships are the best fit for you! You must complete the Legacy Universal Application to apply.

Scholarship eligibility requires students to attend an accredited 2 or 4 year public or private institution of higher learning. All scholarships are for full-time students, unless otherwise noted. Renewable awards are for 4 years of undergraduate study and cannot be used for post graduate coursework; all awards are paid directly to the school or may be used for book reimbursement.