Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant: $70M for Teacher Preparation (FY 2026)

The U.S. Department of Labor (administering on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education) has posted the FY 2026 Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Program competition, making $70 million available to partnerships that prepare new teachers for high-need schools. TQP is the only federal program that specifically funds year-long teaching residencies and now formally supports Registered Apprenticeships for teachers as a high-quality, work-based pathway into the profession.

TQP grants are large, multi-year awards — expect 5-year project periods with significant first-year planning budgets. About 10 awards are expected from this competition, which means competitive applications need to be exceptionally well-designed.

What TQP Funds

TQP funds two distinct project types under Section 202 of the Higher Education Act (HEA):

1. Pre-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation

Reforms undergraduate teacher preparation programs so they better prepare new teachers for high-need schools. Eligible activities include:

• Aligning preparation programs with the actual demands of high-need LEAs and schools
• Integrating clinical practice throughout the program, not just as a final semester
• Building diverse-by-design recruitment pipelines (Grow Your Own, paraprofessional pathways)
• Strengthening mentor teacher preparation in partner schools
• Embedding content-area expertise (especially in shortage areas like STEM, special ed, ELL, CTE)

2. Teaching Residency Program

Establishes or expands a year-long teaching residency that places candidates in classrooms with master mentor teachers while they earn certification. Funded activities include:

• Stipends for residents during the residency year
• Mentor teacher stipends and release time
• Tuition support and certification costs
• Cohort-based coursework aligned to the residency placement
• Induction and ongoing support during the first three years of teaching

FY 2026 explicitly highlights Registered Apprenticeships as an eligible structure for the residency model — especially valuable in subject and geographic areas experiencing teacher shortages.

Who Can Apply — The "Eligible Partnership" Requirement

This is the part that disqualifies most would-be applicants. TQP grants do not go to a single institution. They go to an eligible partnership, defined in HEA Section 200(6), which must include all of the following:

1. A high-need LEA
2. A high-need school served by that LEA (or a consortium of high-need schools), or a high-need early childhood education program
3. A partner institution (institution of higher education)
4. A school, department, or program of education within the partner IHE
5. A school, department, or program of arts and sciences within the partner IHE

The partnership may also include other entities such as other LEAs, public charter schools, public or private nonprofit educational organizations, businesses, teacher organizations, or community-based organizations.

"High-need LEA" generally means an LEA serving at least one school with high concentrations of low-income students and facing teacher shortages or high turnover. The exact definitions are spelled out in the NOFO; double-check yours before assuming eligibility.

Key Timeline

1. May 7, 2026: NOFO posted
2. June 23, 2026: Applications due
3. July 23, 2026: Archive date
4. Fall 2026: Award announcements expected
5. Performance Period: Typically 5 years

Tips for a Competitive TQP Application

1. Build the partnership before you start writing. The strongest TQP applications come from partnerships with a documented history of working together — not partnerships assembled in the 6 weeks before the deadline. Letters of commitment from each required partner with specific roles, contributions, and signatory authority are non-negotiable.
2. Anchor in real LEA need. Cite specific shortage areas, turnover rates, and student outcome gaps in the partner LEA. Reviewers should be able to draw a straight line from the LEA's hiring needs to the residency cohort's certification areas.
3. Design backward from the classroom. Show how clinical experiences, coursework, and mentor support produce a teacher ready for day one in this LEA's classrooms — not a generic graduate.
4. If using Registered Apprenticeship, be explicit. Reference the DOL-approved teacher apprenticeship standards, explain how on-the-job learning hours and related instruction map to certification, and identify the program sponsor.
5. Plan for sustainability from year one. TQP requires significant non-federal match by the end of the project period. Show the financial commitments — state appropriations, philanthropic, LEA budget — that will sustain the residency after the grant ends.
6. Tie outcomes to evidence. The strongest applications cite peer-reviewed evidence (e.g., from the What Works Clearinghouse) supporting their specific design choices: cohort size, mentor selection, induction structure, etc.
7. Plan the evaluation. A credible external evaluator and a clear logic model showing how inputs lead to teacher-effectiveness and student-outcome measures earn substantial points in the competitive priorities.

How to Apply

1. Verify your partnership meets the HEA Section 200(6) "eligible partnership" definition
2. Confirm the lead applicant's SAM.gov registration is active and your UEI number is current
3. Register on Grants.gov and confirm your AOR has the right role
4. Download the FY 2026 TQP NOFO and applicant resources from ed.gov/grants-and-programs/teacher-preparation-grants/teacher-quality-partnership-program
5. Assemble the partnership narrative, project design, evaluation plan, budget, and commitment letters
6. Submit electronically by June 23, 2026

For program questions, contact Mia Howerton at Mia.Howerton@ed.gov.

Related Resources

• Federal Grants 101: A Guide for State and Local Applicants
• How to Register on SAM.gov for Federal Grants
• Grants.gov Registration Guide

How Avila Can Help

TQP applications are partnership documents at heart — aligning an IHE, a high-need LEA, and content-area faculty around a coherent teacher-preparation design. Avila helps partnerships structure the project narrative, line up the eligibility documentation, and pressure-test the design against ED's competitive and absolute priorities. Book a demo to see how Avila can sharpen your TQP application.