Great Public Schools Fund: Awarded Grants
In July 2013, NEA members voted to develop a fund that would provide grants to state and local affiliates with promising projects and ideas to help improve student success. This fund became known as the NEA Great Public Schools (GPS) Fund. The GPS Fund allocates resources to allow state affiliates, local affiliates, and partnerships between state and/or local affiliates to apply GPS Fund Grants to advance the goal of great public schools for every student. Funds are provided to help affiliates demonstrate leadership in enhancing the quality of public education and to assist in the development and implementation of an agenda that engages members with an emphasis on student-centered success through union-led efforts.
Grants are awarded using criteria that focus on ensuring successful students, accomplished professionals, dynamic collaboration, and empowered leaders. To date, 101 GPS Fund Grants have been awarded to state and local affiliates. Please see this link to learn more about GPS Fund Grants, including grant guidelines, deadlines, and the application form.
Kenai Peninsula Education Association
Grant ID: 273
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $20,893
Content Cluster:
Description: Kenai Peninsula Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to help Kenai Peninsula Borough School District develop a cadre of teacher instructional observers who will help provide individual teachers critical feedback in the classroom. Interacting with highly skilled observers (both teachers and administrators) improves teacher quality as it allows for much more growth than a standard evaluative observation. The program will develop 12 teacher instructional observers using the Danielson Framework for Teaching, alongside a cadre of administrative observers to develop a valid and reliable teacher evaluation process.
NEA-Alaska
Grant ID: 334
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2015
Award Amount: $245,000
Content Cluster:
Description: NEA-Alaska will use its GPS Fund Grant to support appropriate implementation of Alaska Common Core State Standards; direct its Leading the Profession Committee to publicize its six-principle position statement advocating for positive change in Alaska public schools; and engage Alaska public education stakeholders and policymakers around Alaska State Standards/Common Core. The goal is to effectively change Alaska’s existing anti-public education, pro-privatization movement.
Arkansas Education Association
Grant ID: 308
Dates: 8/31/2013 - 8/31/2014
Award Amount: $10,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Arkansas Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to identify and train ESP members on school safety. Funds will be used for three identified regional training sites, materials, and expenses for in-state UniServ directors to assist in the training and forums. The participants will be responsible for sponsoring regional community forums and sharing the importance of school safety and the vital role of ESP's on this issue.
Associated Pomona Teachers
Grant ID: 414
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2015
Award Amount: $140,006
Content Cluster:
Description: Associated Pomona Teachers will use its GPS Fund Grant (Year 1) to expand and strengthen school and family/community partnership to promote student success by familiarizing parents and communities with the Common Code State Standards (CCSS) and enabling them to be better able to support their children’s school work.
Associated Pomona Teachers
Grant ID: 496
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Associated Pomona Teachers will use its GPS Fund Grant (Year 2) to continue expanding and strengthening school and family/community partnership to promote student success by familiarizing parents and communities with the Common Code State Standards (CCSS) and enabling them to be better able to support their children’s school work.
California Teachers Association
Grant ID: 278
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: California Teachers Association (CTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant (Year 1) to ensure the successful implementation of the Common Core Standards (CCSS) in the California. With the support of NEA, CTA will partner with the California Department of Education and the West Ed to pool and coordinate material and human resources in a multi-year implementation support program. The grant will support day-long invitational meetings of teachers and administrators (approximately 1,000 educators) to an orientation to the CCSS. Those teachers will then bring back what they’ve learned to their local districts. The meetings will be conducted jointly by the California Department of Education (CDE), WestEd, and CTA staff. The grant will also provide funding to develop a program to train and coordinate regional teams of mentor teachers who will be available to deliver practical coaching as their colleagues learn the skills necessary to implement the content in the CCSS. These teams will cultivate knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to support their local colleagues through face-to-face and online collaboration.
California Teachers Association
Grant ID: 429
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2015
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: California Teachers Association (CTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant (Partial Year 2) to continue to ensure the successful implementation of the Common Core Standards (CCSS) in the California. With the support of NEA, CTA will partner with the California Department of Education and the West Ed to pool and coordinate material and human resources in a multi-year implementation support program. In addition, Year 2 work builds an online training and support component so that more educators can benefit from statewide communities of practice.
California Teachers Association
Grant ID: 498
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2017
Award Amount: $500,000
Content Cluster:
Description: California Teachers Association (CTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant (Remaining Year 2, plus Year 3) to continue to ensure the successful implementation of the Common Core Standards (CCSS) in the California. With the support of NEA, CTA will partner with the California Department of Education and the West Ed to pool and coordinate material and human resources in a multi-year implementation support program.
Community College Association and College of the Canyons
Grant ID: 330
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $450,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Community College Association and College of the Canyons will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to develop a union-led, replicable program around curriculum development and teaching. The program will engage diverse low-income high school, community college, and university students and focus on Social Science, Chicana/o Studies, and English teaching in schools, community after-school programs, community colleges, and university settings. The program will also endeavor to change the communities’ perceptions of the union, especially among parents and community organizations.
Moreno Valley Educators Association
Grant ID: 353
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $107,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Moreno Valley Educators Association (MVEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to train members on the two-day “Unconscious Bias” program, a California Teachers Association program that teaches recognition of biases and encourages change in behaviors toward others in order to be more sensitive to each other and to students. The MVEA will train approximately 210 high school staff members at each of three trainings per year, and it will also hold a parent forum each year to discuss “unconscious bias.”
Moreno Valley Educators Association
Grant ID: 529
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $214,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Moreno Valley Educators Association (MVEA), in collaboration with the Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) and multiple other partners, will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue Years 2 and 3 of the “Increasing Purposeful Excellence, Reducing Unconscious Bias” project. The objectives are: to expand Unconscious Bias trainings to reach at least 50% of the 1,650-member association across all sites; to engage key external partners; and to generate significant, measurable impact on student success in the high-needs MVUSD. The goals for Years 2 and 3 are to continue activities to benefit students, professionals, and leaders, while increasing collaboration among stakeholders; to create school cohorts based on greatest suspension rates in Cohort 2 and 3 Schools; and to train over 600 educators and members of partner organizations.
Oakland Education Association
Grant ID: 379
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $150,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Oakland Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to reach and empower students and their families toward establishing priorities and strategies for improving instruction and institutional cultures in schools. This initiative will be completed in partnership with The Excellence Network (TEN)—a mobile, web-based platform designed to amplify teachers’ voices—and will build on gains made in 2013 when more than 800 families, students, and teachers piloted TEN in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco schools, creating healthier, more collaborative educational environments for all stakeholders.
United Educators of San Francisco
Grant ID: 369
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2017
Award Amount: $534,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The United Educators of San Francisco will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to partner with public and private institutions toward implementation of the San Francisco Teacher Residencies Program. The program takes the combined expertise and resources of schools, unions, and universities to address issues of teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention in high-needs schools, effectively transforming how teachers are prepared to serve in urban public schools and serving as a model for new teacher education pathways.
Association of Pomona Teachers
Grant ID: 589
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $248,992
Content Cluster: Curriculum Development & Improving Instruction
Description: The Association of Pomona Teachers (APT), a California Teachers Association affiliate, in partnership with Moreno Valley Educators, Corona Norco Teachers, and the San Bernardino Teachers Association will use a GPS Fund Grant to expand capacity to increase the number of members involved in creating collaborative structures, empower local labor management teams to assume the role of consultants, and develop an expanded consortium to engage in implementation of best practices around teaching and learning. This work means getting some 150 schools, 5,789 staff, and 111,000 students ready for Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation by bringing CCSS readiness directly to affiliate members who teach core subjects (neither ELA nor Math) and keeping their CCSS readiness on par with those of ELA and Math teachers.
Fullerton Secondary Teachers Organization
Grant ID: 604
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster: Educator/Teacher Preparation
Description: The Fullerton Secondary Teachers Organization (FSTO), a California Teachers Association affiliate, will use a GPS Fund Grant to develop and implement Cultivating Teacher Leaders, a series of three program levels to mitigate the teacher shortage, provide pre-teacher education and support, and diversify the teaching profession in California through ongoing professional education. The first level, Growing Future Teachers, identifies high school students interested in becoming educators and works with them in monthly workshops on their high school campus or at California State University-Fullerton (CSUF). The second level, Teachers Mentoring Teachers, pairs self-identified undergraduate and teacher-credential students at local community colleges and CSUF who are interested in the teaching profession with a lead mentor teacher. The third level, Teachers Teaching Teachers, allows current educators to deliver inclusive professional development workshops about the Common Core Instructional Shifts in all content areas at any grade level to colleagues.
Central Adams UniServ
Grant ID: 521
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $179,922
Content Cluster:
Description: Central Adams Uniserv will use its GPS Fund Grant to implement a plan to develop a professional development program called Core Collaborative (C2). C2 is a teacher-led professional learning series through which teachers come together to collaboratively learn from each other and selected Teacher Leader experts. C2 is built on the gradual release model. This work is union-led; student centered and includes improving teaching practice, improving outcomes for students, establishing a model for teacher collaboration around instruction across schools, and provides leadership opportunities for effective teachers in order to keep them in the classroom. The work will take place within four high performing local associations in the Central Adams UniServ Unit and carried out by 20 pre-screened teaching experts partnered with Teach Plus in order to build the capacity to offer high quality professional development courses to all teachers in four Colorado school districts.
Colorado Education Association
Grant ID: 279
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $80,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Colorado Education Association (CEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop a partnership with the Durango Education Association, Durango School District, and the Public Education Business Coalition (PEBC) to design cooperative a process that invests in professional learning embedded in the classroom. The GPS Fund Grant will allow CEA to emphasize the successful implementation of Common Core, student learning assessments, educator accountability and other issues related to teacher’s practice. The CEA believes that the value of Association membership is inextricably linked to its success in promoting issues related to teaching and learning and advancing the profession. The CEA believes that educator leadership is essential in facilitating improvements in instruction and promoting practices that will encourage the success of all students. The CEA will also partner with EnetColorado to provide online resources to help with the implementation of Common Core State Standards⠠䍃卓⸩ӥ䌀汯牯
Colorado Education Association
Grant ID: 418
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2015
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Colorado Education Association (CEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant, in partnership with the Maine Education Association, to facilitate the More & Better Learning Time (M&BLT) program, which is an enabled process to design a school day that supports student success and professional collaboration using time-optimization as a key resource. This project will focus on a cross-state collaboration of two teacher-lead schools that are part of the NEA Priority Schools Initiatives. These schools are strategically focused on extended learning time, strong teacher leadership, differentiated and engaging teaching, high academic expectation for all students, frequent performance monitoring, and a safe, supportive learning environment. The M&BLT Time program builds on a proven framework of essential time-optimization elements found in our most effective schools to maximize student learning opportunities and to expand professional time-optimization practices for our teachers. The M&BLT program builds capacity for collaboration between school teams and their partners to create a 21st century learning environment that meets the needs of all learners and maximizes the skills of our teachers and ESP through careful leveraging of school time and resources.
Colorado Education Association
Grant ID: 531
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Colorado Education Association (CEA), in partnership with the National Center on Time & Learning will use its GPS Fund Grant to implement Year 2 of its More & Better Learning Time (MBLT) initiative. This work includes customized support to Denver’s teacher-led Math, Science and Leadership Academy. It builds on Year 1 support and develops the school redesign team as co-facilitators of the process for a new cohort of schools, while enhancing their capacity to initiate, lead and sustain positive school change. This capacity building will contribute to the longer-term replication and sustainability of the work for CEA. MBLT initiatives includes: building capacity of the state affiliate, participating local affiliates and individual members to design, lead and manage a school redesign process; enhancing teacher capacity and satisfaction; creating a highly facilitated and reflective knowledge and skill development process with a strategically selected school-based instructional leadership team; and establishing a culture with a clear data driven instructional focus that positively impacts teacher practice and student outcomes.
Colorado Education Association
Grant ID: 594
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $228,250
Content Cluster: Systemic Change Initiatives
Description: The Colorado Education Association (CEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue its three-year commitment to the Instructional Leadership Capacity program, which trains and assists early career educators in Colorado schools to implement educational strategies proven to positively impact student success, specifically:
• Aligning curriculum, instruction, and authentic assessments with standards;
• Re-establishing protocol and structure for frequent monitoring of learning and
teaching at student and educator levels; • Examining and redesigning schedules for time to reclaim at least 15 minutes per day (45 hours of instruction), without adding cost or lengthening the teacher work day; and
• Promoting the Denver Public Schools’ restructured Peer Assistance and Review process at the Math Science Leadership Academy to make the peer coaching/evaluation process ongoing and iterative.
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), CEA’s Instructional Leadership Capacity program supports 5% of Colorado’s lowest performing schools by directly engaging educators, parents, and communities.
• Aligning curriculum, instruction, and authentic assessments with standards;
• Re-establishing protocol and structure for frequent monitoring of learning and
teaching at student and educator levels; • Examining and redesigning schedules for time to reclaim at least 15 minutes per day (45 hours of instruction), without adding cost or lengthening the teacher work day; and
• Promoting the Denver Public Schools’ restructured Peer Assistance and Review process at the Math Science Leadership Academy to make the peer coaching/evaluation process ongoing and iterative.
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), CEA’s Instructional Leadership Capacity program supports 5% of Colorado’s lowest performing schools by directly engaging educators, parents, and communities.
Colorado Education Association
Grant ID: 595
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $663,280
Content Cluster: Diversity, Equity & Cultural Competence
Description: The Colorado Education Association (CEA), in partnership with the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), will use its GPS Fund Grant to work with educators and community partners to develop and implement social justice campaigns to help address poverty, institutional racism, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Integral to this effort is supporting and collaborating with the Denver School-based Restorative Practices Partnership to develop effective ways to disseminate social justice findings, initiatives, and programs statewide. DCTA has developed a model for building a successful restorative school culture and created a school-building implementation guide and visitation program to provide local, regional, and national visitors with opportunities to witness restorative practices in action at three model Denver schools.
Pikes Peak Education Association
Grant ID: 622
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster: Professional Development & Learning
Description: The Pikes Peake Education Association (PPEA), a Colorado Education Association affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop a mentoring program for and provide professional learning opportunities to early career educators. The Center for Teaching and Learning is designed to provide quality, educator-led professional development and learning and to create pathways of engagement around professional practice that will empower members and elevate educator voices. Establishment of this regional Center will help increase membership and promote potential member engagement across key professional topics. The PPEA Center for Teaching and Learning will offer relevant, educator-led professional development and learnings, establish mentoring programs, create career pathways for members, assist early career educators, and support National Board Certified Teacher candidates.
Connecticut Education Association
Grant ID: 596
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2018
Award Amount: $51,250
Content Cluster: Educator/Teacher Preparation
Description: The Connecticut Education Association (CEA), in partnership with NEA Northeast Region affiliates (MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI. And VT) will use its GPS Fund Grant to engage Northeast Region Student Programs in high-quality professional learning and social networking to organize, energize, and strengthen young professionals as early career educators. First year teachers participating in the program will be better prepared to meet the needs of all learners in their classrooms and promote student success. CEA will strengthen the Northeast Region Student Program by expanding the state Student Program Leadership (SP) to a Regional SP Leadership. State SP Leaders will meet virtually every 6-8 to support the work on campuses and plan for a regional conference with key professional learning sessions to better prepare early career educators for their classroom experiences and to build a culture where student members turn to their state affiliates for professional learning.
Delaware State Education Association
Grant ID: 530
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), in collaboration with Schools That Lead will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue the work of the Teacher Leadership Initiative: Growing and Supporting Teacher Leadership Professional Development. The Teacher Leader Initiative is a program for teacher leaders, principal(s), and peers. The work includes 8 days of professional development for teacher leaderd and 4 days of professional development the principal(s) involved. This work focuses on engaging teachers in the examination of how student learning takes place in the classroom. This work includes creating and supporting networked cohorts of teacher leaders, focusing on teachers’ abilities to advance student learning, increasing student achievement, and engaging teachers in pursuit of their goals for instruction.
Federal Education Association
Grant ID: 527
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $25,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Federal Education Association will use it GPS Fund Grant to create the Enhancing the Professional through Real Collaboration project. The objectives for this work are to provide teachers and educational aides with opportunities for receiving instruction on best practices and earning re-certification credit at the same time. The goals are to identify 2-3 excellent teacher leaders in each of the relevant areas; Stateside schools, Europe, and the Pacific [Asia], who will collaborate as a team, to create the details of a professional development/leadership course. The courses will focus on collaboration and differentiation within the implementation of the CCSS/CCRS to bring educational aides and teachers together to provide the best educational practice for the benefit of all students.
Federal Education Association
Grant ID: 565
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 4/30/2017
Award Amount: $112,200
Content Cluster:
Description: The Federal Education Association (FEA) will use its one-year grant to create professional development opportunities for international music educators. FEA will partner with the European Music Educators Association and the Department of Defense Education Association to develop curriculum resources and make them internationally available them through an online resource bank accessible by Federal Education schools. FEA will share the created opportunities with educators around the world.
Brevard Federation of Teachers
Grant ID: 358
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2017
Award Amount: $600,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Brevard Federation of Teachers will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to create a sustainable plan for increasing teacher retention by supporting teacher development and building a foundation for a model teacher support and empowerment plan. Over the span of three years, the retention rate of 0- to 2-year Brevard teachers will increase annually by a minimum of 2 percent; select 5-plus-year teacher leaders will be empowered with mentor responsibilities and direction over the induction program; and student achievement, as measured by the baseline composite weighted aggregate for 0- to 2-year teachers, will increase.
United Teachers of Dade
Grant ID: 514
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $115,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The United Teachers of Dade (UTD) will use its GPS Fund Grant to fund The Flying Classroom Project, which will provide the support educators need in order to accomplish what we know works for our students and will also create conditions for excellence in our public schools in Miami. Our highly-skilled education professionals and Captain Barrington Irving, National Geographic Explorer, will partner to support our schools with the greatest needs. This STEM/Aviation-inspired partnership with UTD has already captivated students throughout our district during previous engagements. The Flying Classroom is an exciting, innovative, fresh approach that is revitalized annually. Through interactive, high-quality, standards-aligned activities that touch all academic subjects, this partnership provides opportunities for our most fragile students to explore the limitless possibilities for their futures. This project will provide union-led enriching opportunities to union members that will initially impact approximately 3,000 students and 50 teachers in eight of the lowest achieving schools in Miami-Dade County. It will incorporate a National Common Core/Florida Standards STEM/Aviation-aligned enrichment opportunity for our urban students to encourage future careers in math, science, engineering and technology and will spark interest for both teachers and their students. It will include 16 world expeditions from 2014-15 and eight new world expeditions that will be made during the 2015-16 school year. Providing high quality professional development opportunities, along with support and resources to teachers throughout this partnership will promote unionism and professionalism that will grow union membership while bringing national recognition to UTD, Florida Education Association, and NEA.
Broward Teachers Union
Grant ID: 590
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Broward Teachers Union (BTU), a Florida Education Association affiliate, will use a GPS Fund Grant to develop and implement an Academy for Early Career Educators to support professional development and other skill-building activities that promote retention. Early career educators can face a lack of support from community leaders, district personnel, and other education stakeholders on a daily basis; the Academy will work directly with them to help ensure that they acquire skills needed to promote student success and remain in the field as educators in productive school systems. Participation in the Academy will enable early career educators to learn everything they need to be successful in their classrooms, from managing behaviors, planning lessons, and evaluating systems, to acquiring certifications. This Academy’s goal is to reduce Broward County’s teacher attrition rate by 15 percent in its first year.
Florida Education Association
Grant ID: 602
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $367,325
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Florida Education Association (FEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop and implement the Teachers Leading project, which will provide professional development and peer support to early career educators and novice teachers in Priority Schools who may not be fully certified. Through peer coaching, the project will provide vital skills for combating institutional racism, building cultural competencies, promoting restorative justice, and modeling effective teacher collaboration and professional learning. The project will host teacher-driven problem solving conferences to capitalize on the talents and skills Florida teachers bring to addressing instructional problems of practice, particularly in high-needs schools. FEA’s goal is to empower Florida educators to lead school improvement projects by increasing teacher retention rates, strengthening local affiliates, and engaging in union-sponsored, teacher led initiatives.
Hawaii State Teachers Association
Grant ID: 419
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2016
Award Amount: $166,525
Content Cluster:
Description: Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue its business internship program. In 2010, HSTA started a program that connected teachers with local businesses so that teachers could help students become college and career ready. To accomplish this, HSTA partnered with the Hawaii Business Roundtable (HiBR) and Hawaii Children’s Foundation (HCF). The Stacy Nishina Teacher Internship Program (TIP) is a successful partnership with the HiBR and HCF, giving teachers real-world business experience and culminating in the creation of lesson plans based on the experiences teachers had as an intern with a local business.
Molokai Chapter of the Hawaii State Teachers Association
Grant ID: 362
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2016
Award Amount: $178,060
Content Cluster:
Description: The Molokai Chapter of the Hawaii State Teachers Association will use its GPS Fund Grant over two years to address local education issues—including maximizing student learning time in schools and the job security of education professionals, especially credentialed teachers—thus demonstrating leadership in enhancing the quality of public education, a quality that can then be replicated throughout the state.
Idaho Education Association
Grant ID: 535
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $35,620
Content Cluster:
Description: Idaho Education Association (IEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop a Summer Institute Professional Development program. The grant will assist in the next phase of development such as preparing and training a cadre of knowledgeable and practicing IEA educators with a focus on professional learning opportunities that would occur through IEA’s existing structures of a statewide Summer Institute and regional trainings; provide on-demand workshops; provide a stipend for IEA member-trainers for the time spent creating and delivering lessons. Additionally, the work includes entails creation of a group site for IEA trainers.
Idaho Education Association
Grant ID: 606
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $34,750
Content Cluster: Professional Development & Learning
Description: The Idaho Education Association (IEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue its work on the IEA Summer Institute, which offers professional issue and content courses, taught by IEA members. Initiated in 2013, the IEA Summer Institute has grown into an opportunity as an opportunity for IEA members to share expertise on cutting edge educational research and concepts. IEA will continue this work by developing a team of classroom educators focused on providing professional learning opportunities to IEA members across Idaho.
Illinois Education Association
Grant ID: 280
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $222,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Illinois Education Association (IAE) will use its GPS Fund Grant to lead a cohesive train-the-trainer program in an effort to train educators state-wide to implement Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Illinois. The grant will fund the training of up to 20 members in five locations across the state with the expectation that the trainers will support others at the school level. Online supports will also be provided, which will include online module training for use at the school level with technical assistance being provided by the cadre, program coordinator, and the CEI department within IEA/NEA. The continued development of resources will be accessible through the IEA website. The plan includes providing training and support to educators statewide through a CCS program coordinator (IEA member) who is an expert in Common Core Standards. The grant will also support the Living Library, a valuable online resource that will house Common Core materials that are updated regularly.
Illinois Education Association
Grant ID: 421
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2015
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Illinois Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to partner with Education Analytics, Inc. to contribute to the improvement of teaching and learning in Illinois by: (1) engaging the help of a teacher advisory group to create both a product(s) and a process for implementing student learning objectives in Illinois teachers’ classroom(s) which will include an inventory of existing assessments and step-by-step guide for the SLO process; (2) developing training and supports that will assist classroom teachers in writing effective Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) which includes: SLO process guide, curriculum-specific “big ideas” and setting growth targets for students; and (3) using the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) developed SLO template with prepopulated/drop-down fields as the model for creating sample SLO exemplars in an electronic template.
Illinois Education Association
Grant ID: 522
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Illinois Education Association (IEA), in collaboration with IEA’s staff union and IEA management, will use its GPS Fund Grant to continue to support, provide and sustain high quality online and face-to-face professional learning opportunities for association members and to expand partnerships to other high quality professional development providers. IEA currently offers over 70 courses online. The goal of this work is to develop and/or connect powerful professional learning opportunities for our members and to develop a research-based roadmap to address the physical and emotional health of our students and their families.
Illinois Education Association
Grant ID: 607
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Illinois Education Association will use a GPS Fund Grant to expand work started in 2015, in partnership with the Iowa State Education Association on the State Early Career Leadership Fellows Program (ECLF). The ECLF program is designed to involve and include state, local, and individual early career educators in professional unionism and social justice unionism from the beginning of their entry into the profession. Components of the program include: 1) identifying early career educators, activating and preparing them to become formal and informal leaders in their local unions 2) equipping early career educators with skills and resources needed to identify and plan for change through structured curriculum and a leadership, engagement and action project 3) engaging new leaders in productive and meaningful association roles and 4) increasing the capacity of state and local affiliates to support early career educators.
Fort Wayne Education Association
Grant ID: 504
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $34,220
Content Cluster:
Description: The Fort Wayne Education Association (FWEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to work in cooperation with the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) to identify, locate, and engage current National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in Indiana in order to build the capacity for FWEA to support candidates in the NBCT process. As FWEA’s capacity for this project grows, the local association would like to be a resource to other associations in the region. FWEA will encourage the Fort Wayne Community Schools to consider the strengths of members who engage in the NBCT process in district roles. Once there are NBCTs in the community, FWEA and ISTA will utilize the talents of these teachers to actively facilitate the communication of accurate and reliable information to community constituents, policy makers, legislators, and other stakeholders.
Indiana State Teachers Association
Grant ID: 505
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $75,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to resource its state-wide Professional Resource Center (PRC) to engage and empower (1) leaders, (2) members, and (3) staff. This will assist in organizing around professional issues, promoting high quality teaching and learning practices, building local capacity through leadership development and National Board Certification, and empowering ISTA members to lead their profession and impact student success in a positive manner (by allowing ISTA to accelerate the creation and implementation of this member-focused professional learning and resource center). Establishment of the PRC allows ISTA to establish itself as the primary provider of high quality professional learning to teachers and other public school employees across the state. More than 15 percent of ISTA members participated in a recent Professional Development Survey and the results were clear: the vast majority of members do not believe they are getting effective professional development at their job sites and want ISTA to take a much greater role in delivering and supporting effective and embedded professional learning across the state. This project allows for ISTA’s Professional Resource Center to engage and empower teachers through: (1) high quality professional learning events and activities; (2) the ability to recertify their professional licenses by participating in PRC events and activities; and (3) networking and organizing with colleagues around the state on professional issues.
Indiana State Teachers Association
Grant ID: 608
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $179,000
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to support early career educators through Professional Resources Center (PRC) activities and annual Early Career Educator conferences. The grant also will be used to initiate the ISTA ReSupply program, which will be established to collect and donate classroom resources to PRC members. A portion of the grant funds also will be used to create Professional Pals, a mentoring program to pair active and retired members with early career educators and provide them with support and guidance during the crucial first years.
Iowa State Education Association
Grant ID: 373
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2017
Award Amount: $450,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to embark on a statewide system of teacher leadership, with specific plans being developed by local school districts and funded by the state. The ISEA will develop a Teacher Leadership Institute to provide quality learning opportunities and support to teachers; professional development events four times a year; ongoing online collaboration opportunities; and coaching for teacher leaders.
Louisiana Association of Educators
Grant ID: 569
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 8/31/2017
Award Amount: $109,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) will use the one-year GPS Fund Grant to develop and help implement three cadres of Board Certified Teachers to help Louisiana teachers receive professional development in Board certification. LAE will create a well-trained, stable, teaching-and-learning community specifically designed to nurture younger educators, career educators, and education support professionals as they progress through their careers. LAE will share both resources and learnings with education stakeholders, Louisiana schools, and the general public.
Maryland State Education Association
Grant ID: 281
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to assist with implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A key to success in implementing the CCSS, and ensure student success, is to provide teachers with support, training, and resources to assist in instruction. MSEA’s goal is to create a diverse cadre of leaders from around the state to deliver CCSS professional development programs and activities directly to educators to improve their professional practice. The professional development will be delivered regionally for a variety of audiences, from MSEA members to parents, community representatives, and other education stakeholders.
Montgomery County Education Association
Grant ID: 526
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $150,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to build strong affiliates local to local. The goals of the project are to develop the content, build the structure, and deliver coaching and support to NEA target locals on the specific topics of: using NBPTS programming and NBCTs to build strong locals, piloting a union-led Pipeline to the Profession intern program, organizing new members to own their profession, and leading the profession for equity and justice. This work addresses the issue of membership value using authentic content, differentiated strategies and an organizing focus; and provides pilot and case study programs to test membership growth and retention using professional issues.
Massachusetts Teachers Association
Grant ID: 282
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 11/15/2014
Award Amount: $150,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to engage educators in helping shape the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and define the policies around the effective measurement of student learning to ensure student success. This grant will support locals who actively bring educators into the decision-making process of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning the effective implementation of CCSS and adoption of effective measurement of student learning. MTA will also partner with TeachPlus and other external organizations, in order to promote readiness for the implementation for these new standards.
Massachusetts Teachers Association
Grant ID: 338
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $194,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to develop a Safe School Summit to bring together educators, elected officials, law enforcement personnel, judicial staff, social and health services providers, and parents and community members to consider how to ensure that our schools are safe, healthy environments in which students can learn and educators can teach. The Safe School Summit concept is one that has been embraced nationwide.
Massachusetts Teachers Association
Grant ID: 570
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $146,500
Content Cluster:
Description: The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) will create a sustainable restorative practices program at Fuller Middle School in Framingham, Massachusetts. MTA will partner with the Framingham Teachers Association and the Town of Framingham Public Schools to create a program at Fuller Middle School that will serve as a model for redefining and redirecting traditional state and local disciplinary practices in ways that have been proven to foster a culture of student success. MTA will also partner with TeachPlus and other external organizations, in order to promote readiness for the implementation for these new standards.
Michigan Education Association
Grant ID: 383
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $73,500
Content Cluster:
Description: The Michigan Education Association (MEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to create an instructional leadership program for union teacher leaders. In partnership with Central Michigan University, the MEA will develop a master’s degree program that will benefit members by providing 15 academic credits from Central Michigan University’s College of Education, creating a path to advanced certification with the Michigan Department of Education.
Michigan Education Association
Grant ID: 475
Dates: 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2016
Award Amount: $50,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Michigan Education Association (MEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant—in response to the Michigan State Board of Education adopting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English and math—to conduct the research necessary to first learn from the experiences of other state education systems that have adopted CCSS and then engage in a statewide campaign involving public meetings and public relations activities to build support for recommendations to lawmakers toward improving CCSS implementation in Michigan.
Education Minnesota
Grant ID: 478
Dates: 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2018
Award Amount: $287,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Education Minnesota will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to create and maintain a virtual professional learning network — Minnesota ConnectED — which will unite new with exiting cohorts of teachers in Minnesota toward improving their professional practice. Members will be able to access an openly networked, production-centered learning ecosystem driven by a shared purpose: eliminating achievement gaps for students of color and students living in poverty.
Minneapolis Federation of Teachers
Grant ID: 610
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $150,000
Content Cluster: Community Engagement
Description: The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT), an Education Minnesota affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to create an Engagement Tool Kit for Educators. The tool kit will be designed to build site-specific parent engagement to help early career educators develop long-term relationships with community members. Participating early career educators will be partnered with veteran educators who can provide support and share best practices. MFT will spend the next three years developing the long-term engagement program, initially focusing on five sites and adopting a two-tiered approach: 1) creating an MFT-specific Parent Advisory Board designed to strengthen existing relationships and 2) developing the Engagement Tool Kit.
Saint Paul Federation of Teachers
Grant ID: 574
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 4/30/2019
Award Amount: $530,500
Content Cluster:
Description: The Saint Paul Federation of Teachers (SPFT), an Affiliate of Education Minnesota, will use its three-year GPS Fund Grant to create opportunities for professional development that support teachers. SPFT will create, and then implement a range of high-quality professional development opportunities not only benefits teachers but also students in their classrooms. SPFT will share information with education stakeholders, Minnesota schools, and the general public.
Stadium View School
Grant ID: 304
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $25,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Stadium View School in the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center (Minnesota) will use its GPS Fund Grant to support the project “Restorative practice, social connectedness and resiliency.” Stadium View serves students in the 11-21 age range (the average age is 16) and the majority of the students are two to three years behind in terms of school; their average length of time in the center and school is 14 days. Science teacher Tarri Levine works with the students to find something they are passionate about and uses it to build up their self-worth, honing in on wanting them to continue with academics and increase the amount of quality time they spend learning. The grant money will also be used for self-publishing examples of poetry and music produced by students. The Hennepin County libraries have agreed to house the poetry books. Levine is working with students to self-publish a poetry book and music CD.
Mississippi Association of Educators
Grant ID: 331
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE) will use its GPS Fund Grant to partner with the Jackson Education Association to make the local association an indispensable resource for Jackson teachers. Through the program, teachers will enhance their skills, learn how to navigate educational changes, including Common Core and the state’s new teacher evaluation system, and become leaders for what’s best for teaching and learning in Jackson and, by extension, in Mississippi. This MAE initiative will test, document, and prove that relevance for association membership and engagement is based on establishing the association as the path to educator effectiveness and, ultimately, to student success.
Bozeman Education Association
Grant ID: 355
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $111,500
Content Cluster:
Description: The Bozeman Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to form a New Teacher Advisory Program that will increase student achievement at four schools—selected because of their high proportion of low socio-economic students—through the creation of an induction program that provides ongoing support for probationary teachers in their first three years of employment. This program will enable master teachers to establish school environments in which new teachers can identify what they need to learn in order to thrive in their chosen profession.
Nebraska State Education Association
Grant ID: 618
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $109,800
Content Cluster: Educator/Teacher Preparation
Description: The Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to assist 210 ethnic minority pre-service teachers in passing the PRAXIS Core tests and support them with ongoing mentoring. The PRAXIS Core tests are a significant stumbling block for ethnic and minority students seeking to become teachers in Nebraska. Admission to a Nebraska teacher preparation program requires passing the approved basic skills tests; Nebraska requires completion of an approved teacher education preparation program to receive an Initial-, Standard-, or Professional-level teaching certificate. NSEA will work with affiliates and partners to organize a statewide cadre of PRAXIS mentors. Program participants will recruit college students of color, develop a facilitated online course, and encourage participants to become active and engaged Association members.
Clark County Education Association
Grant ID: 324
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $750,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Clark County Education Association (CCEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to build a strong local association for students and educators in the nation’s fifth largest school district. CCEA will scale up member organizing through robust professional development offerings, including those targeting English Language Learners, and take the lead on successful implementation of Common Core State Standards. CCEA recognizes that one crucial use of these funds will be developing strong ties to parents of Latino students and other students of color.
Clark County Education Association
Grant ID: 520
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $133,258
Content Cluster:
Description: Clark County Education Association will use the GPS Fund Grant to develop and support a research study on the Clark County School District (CCSD) PAR Program. This project is a collaborative effort between (CCSD), the Clark County Education Association (CCEA), Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-Technical Employees (CCASAPE) and a working group of educators, trustees, and community leaders who worked to improve instruction by supporting new, and ultimately, under-performing teachers. The PAR program will be implemented in 22 schools; 19 schools constitute the Turnaround Zone within Clark School District, and 3 schools were a part of the Turnaround Zone during the 2014-15 school year. Of the 22 schools: 13 are elementary schools, 2 are middle schools, and 7 are high schools. All are chronically underperforming schools and traditionally are the hardest to staff in the district. The pilot program will take place in schools that require the most support.
Nevada State Education Association
Grant ID: 571
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 4/30/2017
Award Amount: $220,147
Content Cluster:
Description: The Nevada State Education Association (NSEA) will use the one-year GPS Fund Grant to create a Professional Development Academy so early career educators, rural educators, and Education Support Professionals can acquire and enhance skills demonstrated as most effective in fostering student success. NSEA will create and implement an Academy that provides both face-to-face and web-based opportunities. NSEA will share the Academy with education stakeholders, Nevada schools, and the general public.
NEA-New Hampshire
Grant ID: 376
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $51,000
Content Cluster:
Description: NEA-New Hampshire will use its GPS Fund Grant in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Education, the New Hampshire Technical Institute, the New Hampshire IHE Network, the Digital Opportunity Consortium, the New Hampshire School Library Media Association, the American Association of School Librarians, and Granite State College to inculcate the “Habit of Mind” (HOM) approach among current and future educators to encourage them to use evidence-based practices when addressing particularly important and vexing challenges concerning students’ learning and well-being.
NEA-New Hampshire
Grant ID: 617
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $735,000
Content Cluster: Educator Evaluation and/or Educator Effectiveness
Description: NEA-New Hampshire will use its GPS Fund Grant to pilot a New Hampshire Department of Education-approved accountability system. The accountability system is designed to support deeper student learning, based on teachers’ performance assessments of students. Known as Performance Assessment of Competency Education (PACE), the New Hampshire pilot is supported by a competency-based approach to education; it provides a vehicle for teachers to become more knowledgeable about competency-based education and performance assessment practices. The PACE accountability system greatly reduces the use of standardized tests and increases reliance on teacher-developed performance assessments for both accountability purposes and formative assessments. NEA-New Hampshire’s PACE pilot will focus on: 1) professional development for 26 teachers serving as PACE content leads; 2) support for 60 teachers experienced in PACE, providing them with communication and message training; 3) training in competency-based education practices for 250 educators new to PACE concepts; and 4) a Summer PACE Exhibition for 600 New Hampshire teachers and educators from other states and Education community shareholders to provide information about PACE components.
Woodbridge Township Education Association
Grant ID: 518
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $90,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Woodbridge Township Education Association (WTEA), in collaboration with Woodbridge Township School District (WTSD) and community partners, will use its GPS Fund Grant to establish a Motivational Personalized Achievement Contact Team (M-P.A.C.T.) pilot program at Woodbridge High School. The objective is to address the social and emotional needs of students most at risk of dropping out of high school, traveling the school-to-prison pipeline and who practice unhealthy lifestyles due to food insecurity and impoverished households. Work outcomes include: student motivation, positive reinforcement, and strengthened whole-school/community relationships between students and amongst all educational stakeholders.
NEA-Las Cruces
Grant ID: 616
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $240,000
Content Cluster: Community Engagement
Description: NEA-Las Cruces, an NEA-New Mexico affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to create New and Energized Educators (NET). NET will provide a nurturing environment for teachers, nourish experiences for teachers, and build a network to help empower teachers. The initiative has four primary objectives: 1) reduce truancy and promote student success through increasing instructional hours, 2) reduce discipline referrals by implementing restorative justice principals, 3) create a school-based health center that includes behavioral health, and 4) increase educator, parent, and student voices in school-site decision making.
Cambridge Faculty Association
Grant ID: 499
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $46,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Cambridge Faculty Association, in conjunction with numerous other partners including the Cambridge Central School District, will use its GPS Fund Grant to launch a Probe Year to work with stakeholders and partners creating a Teacher Candidate Residency program for graduate level students. This would be done in partnership with SUNY Plattsburgh, which would allow candidates to be embedded in a school district placement with a highly effective attending teacher each year, for a two year period (comparable to the traditional Master’s Program length at SUNY Plattsburgh). This would create a robust, clinically rich experience and provide the foundation for their work as they transition into their own classrooms, serving their own students, and proving their professional readiness through authentic field experience.
New York State United Teachers
Grant ID: 320
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $750,000
Content Cluster:
Description: New York State United Teachers will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to mobilize resources and expertise around enhancing teacher and student understanding of New York State Common Core Learning Standards and their application to classroom teaching and learning. The resources and expertise comprise 12 subject area specialty committees and 21 professional associations. Increased understanding of the standards and their application will lead directly to improved student preparedness for college and post-secondary career opportunities.
North Syracuse Education Association
Grant ID: 378
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2017
Award Amount: $168,750
Content Cluster:
Description: The North Syracuse Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to enable North Syracuse Central School District teachers to participate in lesson study to improve their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) instruction. With the advent of Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, even experienced teachers are faced with planning and implementing content with which they are not familiar. Sixty teachers will be involved over the three years: 40 in the first year and 10 each year thereafter.
United Federation of Teachers, Local #2, AFT
Grant ID: 371
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2016
Award Amount: $499,700
Content Cluster:
Description: The United Federation of Teachers, in conjunction with The New American Initiative, intends to use its GPS Fund Grant over two years to support The New American Academy’s (TNAA) innovative school and contract model by supporting some of the New American Initiative’s Reflective Practice and Leadership training practices, which help make TNAA unique. In addition, there will be collaboration on planning a citywide pilot peer-review program based upon the peer-review model being successfully practiced at TNAA schools.
United Federation of Teachers, Local #2, AFT
Grant ID: 576
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 4/30/2017
Award Amount: $175,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The United Federation of Teachers Local #2 (UFT) will use its one-year GPS Fund Grant to improve the teacher preparation program for Masters-level students who want to be teachers. Working in partnership with the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators and the New York City Department of Education, UFT will create programs of professional training in mentoring relationships, formal teacher leadership roles, and continuous and shared learning opportunities. UFT will share the created programs with education stakeholders, New York State schools, and the general public.
Cambridge Faculty Association
Grant ID: 592
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $738,059
Content Cluster: Educator/Teacher Preparation
Description: The Cambridge Faculty Association (CFA), a New York State United Teachers affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to launch the Classroom Academy Teacher Residency program for graduate-level education preparation students. Working in conjunction with the Hudson Falls Teachers Association and the Saratoga Adirondack Board of Cooperative Educational Services Employees Association, CFA will partner with the State University of New York-Plattsburgh (at Queensbury) to establish a program to promote student success by developing exceptional future teachers. Participants will be mentored by an accomplished teacher for a two-year period to create a robust, clinically-rich, pre-service experience that is currently unavailable. Alongside participation in a restructured delivery of graduate-level coursework, program participants will receive a solid foundation for their work as they transition into classrooms, serve students, and prove their professional readiness through authentic field experience. Affiliate members engaging in the work as Attending Teachers, mentors, or participants will positively impact student learning by developing a common language and understanding of accomplished practice.
North Carolina Association of Educators
Grant ID: 620
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $268,400
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) will use its GPS Fund Grant to further implement the Beginning Teacher Organizing Program (BTOP). Constructed over the past two years by a team of local leaders and early career educators from locals of varying sizes and settings (rural, suburban, and urban), BTOP is designed to engage and support new teachers as they move through their first five years. The program matches and connects early career educators with instructional and professional resources that support them in their career growth and goals. BTOP leverages communication, mentoring and instructional support, and outreach to help reduce and prevent teacher attrition by fostering community connections with teacher leaders statewide.
North Dakota United
Grant ID: 572
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 4/30/2019
Award Amount: $241,221
Content Cluster:
Description: North Dakota United (NDU) will develop literacy and instructional coaching frameworks proven to positively impact student achievement. NDU will use the three-year GPS Fund grant to partner with a broad cross-section of North Dakota education stakeholders to develop frameworks identified by the U.S. Department of Education as fostering student achievement. NDU will share created frameworks with education stakeholders, North Dakota schools, and the general public.
Ohio Education Association
Grant ID: 284
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Ohio Education Association (OEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to strengthen educators’ voices in school improvement while advocating for the effective implementation of Ohio’s New Learning Standards (ONLS). The funding will be also be used to help educators develop resources for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as well as advocate for the teaching and learning conditions necessary for student and educator success. The driving issues for the OEA will be ONLS and the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System. They will support educators in becoming leaders and messengers advocating for quality teaching and learning conditions in their schools. The immediate goal is for educators to succeed at school district integration with the new standards, assessments and evaluation. OEA’s goal is to lead a student-centered agenda, improve the quality of public education and elevate the teaching profession.
The Education Association of Moore
Grant ID: 512
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 11/1/2016
Award Amount: $290,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Education Association of Moore (TEAM) will use its GPS Fund Grant on a Peer Assistance and Reflection (PAR) Program to create an initial system of voluntary peer assistance and reflection in Moore Public Schools (MPS) in Moore, Oklahoma. Teachers will enter this local-association designed and driven PAR system as either novice or entry-year teachers, as teachers desiring to improve their instructional practice or reduce professional isolation, or as an administrative or peer-recommended resource. The TEAM PAR program is as a mentoring network which is designed to mentor novice teachers entering the profession and teachers at risk of leaving the profession; partner with MPS to improve the retention rate of teachers during a crisis of teacher shortage; build and sustain a culture of collaboration and teacher leadership in the district; broadly improve instructional practice and professional learning across the district through reflective analysis; and define TEAM as a leader in sharing best teaching practices, thus providing value to our members.
The Education Association of Moore (TEAM)
Grant ID: 627
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $192,200
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Education Association of Moore (TEAM), an Oklahoma Education Association affiliate, will use a GPS Fund Grant to provide specifically-targeted support for early career educators through paired peer mentoring, collaborative working groups, participation at national education conferences, professional development opportunities, and district-wide sharing of effective instructional tools and techniques. This Professional Leadership Model is a continuation of a three-tiered peer network made up of Peer Coordinators (oversight), Peer Guides (peer mentorship and collaboration), and Peer Participants (pre-service and early career educators) who work together to further a culture of professional collaboration, mentorship, and continuous learning. Because the TEAM plan embraces the quality professional development and growth provided by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the grant will be used to offer Jump Start training and mentorship to teachers interested in improving their teaching practice and professional leadership skills.
Ashland Education Association
Grant ID: 523
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $51,600
Content Cluster:
Description: Ashland High School will use its GPS Fund Grant to explore ways to distribute leadership among the staff using a leadership model, and will assist with recruiting and retaining excellent teachers by providing career pathways that leverage various skill sets. This project is a collaboration of teachers, administrators, classified staff and one school board member. This work includes researching leadership models, using a rubric to evaluate the models, and pulling out ideas that may work in the context of Ashland High School. The goal of the leadership model includes: increase student achievement, increase teacher voice and leadership, improve instructional quality, and build more capacity in teacher leadership.
Oregon Education Association
Grant ID: 285
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Oregon Education Association (OEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to take the lead on the effective implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) while engaging with parents and community leaders to positively influence the classroom experience for students and educators. OEA will engage and empower educators to advocate on professional practice and education policy issues; lead local quality education initiatives; and build a continuum of support for the education profession and strategies for educational transformation. The grant will support OEA to: (1) work with partners to create a comprehensive, sustainable long-term plan for CCSS implementation, including professional development; (2) develop a tool or utilize an existing tool to assess educator and school district implementation needs and inform professional learning opportunities; (3) develop and/or adopt professional development modules and materials that can be used by individual educators, local associations and school districts; and (4) engage in regional parent and community town halls to help the public understand how important it is to implement CCSS successfully.
Oregon Education Association
Grant ID: 621
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2018
Award Amount: $250,000
Content Cluster: Professional Development & Learning
Description: The Oregon Education Association (OEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop partnerships with local education associations, local school districts, state departments of education, and education community stakeholders to help develop and implement the Quality Assessment Practices Network Improvement Community (NIC). The NIC’s will bring educators together with partners to engage in on-going, high-quality professional learning and development, focused on effectively selecting, designing, and using high-quality assessments to help inform instruction. The NIC’s ultimate aim is to advocate for, implement, and actualize quality assessment practices in classrooms and schools across Oregon. Building on an existing cadre of Quality Assessment Professional Practice leaders, the NIC will bring education stakeholders together to learn collectively, share successes and challenges, and support implementation of quality assessment practices to help students succeed.
Oregon (lead on collaboration of NEA Pacific Region States)
Hawaii State Teachers Association, Idaho Education Association, Montana Education Association/Montana Federation of Teachers, NEA-Alaska, Nevada State Education Association, and Oregon Education Association
Grant ID: 424
Dates: 9/1/2014 - 9/1/2015
Award Amount: $85,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The NEA Pacific Region National Board Collaborative, with Oregon Education Association as lead affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to help grow National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) candidate support systems, and engage and organize NBCTs as leaders. This project will: 1) establish initial and ongoing communications with all 2,027 NBCTs in these six states, 2) engage at least 20% of these NBCTs (405) in face-to-face relational meetings, and 3) cultivate leadership readiness and connect at least 10% of each state’s NBCTs (202) with formal and informal association leadership roles. Though data sources are currently insufficient to determine the number of NBCTs currently in Association leadership roles, the percentage is low. (Note: Proposed database work will allow for a “baseline” retroactive identification of NBCTs in Association leadership roles.)
Pennsylvania State Education Association
Grant ID: 321
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2015
Award Amount: $249,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to enable a unique partnership to support York City schools in their implementation of numerous educational reforms, including professional development and follow-up coaching to build needed infrastructure to implement and sustain site-based management. The partnership comprises the PSEA, the York City Education Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, and Performance Learning Systems/3rd Learning.
Pennsylvania State Education Association
Grant ID: 533
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2017
Award Amount: $110,500
Content Cluster:
Description: Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to implement the next phase of a distributed leadership (DL) model project in the School District of the City of York, PA. This project is a continuation of Year 1 work and implements the work for Years 2 and 3 goals to help the DL program provide professional libraries in each participating school building; and an independent evaluation of the project’s impact on the participating schools.
Tennessee Education Association
Grant ID: 368
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2015
Award Amount: $39,767
Content Cluster:
Description: The Tennessee Education Association (TEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to provide improved instructional opportunities for students and teachers by positioning itself as a leader of Tennessee’s education profession through the establishment of a Teacher Leader Network facilitated by members who serve as Teacher Leader Organizers (TLOs). The Association’s goal is to have a lead TLO in every Tennessee school district that uses the Interdependent Leadership Model and to recruit a TLO for every work site.
Port Arthur Teachers Association
Grant ID: 510
Dates: 5/1/2015 - 5/15/2016
Award Amount: $37,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Port Arthur Teachers Association (PATA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to help strengthen its capacity to organize around professional issues, develop its program to meet the needs of teachers, and sustain its activism and advocacy for all educators. Working in collaboration with the Port Arthur Independent School District (PAISD), the local association is establishing a network to support all PATA members and potential members through quality professional development. The grant work includes: collaboration with the local school district on professional development; rebranding the local association as the professional association; establishing the association as the authority on professional development; and positioning the association as a source of mentors for great teaching in the district.
Port Arthur Teachers Association
Grant ID: 623
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $90,000
Content Cluster: Professional Development & Learning
Description: The Port Arthur Teachers Association (PATA), a Texas State Teachers Association affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant to implement a portion of its professional development planning to help meet the content needs and learning styles of younger, newer teachers and early career educators. Grant money will provide intensive training for a broad group of educators to help them understand the dynamics of decision-making, develop the knowledge basis to effectively articulate and engage in the decision-making process outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and engender a professional culture anchored in cultural competence and teacher effectiveness. Also crucial is expansion of PATA’s professional learning platform across critical Port Arthur Independent School District (PAISD) stakeholder groups to sustain ongoing and dynamic dialogue relative to ESSA. Professional development emphasis will include targeted topics of value to new teachers.
Alpine Education Association
Grant ID: 302
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2014
Award Amount: $5,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Alpine Education Association (AEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to help students and teachers stay ahead of the curve in an environment where standards are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of students as they prepare to compete in the global economy. AEA, in partnership with the Utah Education Association (UEA), will support teacher quality in schools by providing each AEA member with a toolkit that includes guidelines to assist in successfully meeting the new teacher standards recently established by the Utah State Office of Education.
Utah Education Association
Grant ID: 519
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $175,000
Content Cluster:
Description: Utah Education Association (UEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to develop the “Making the Change: Moving to a Teaching and Leadership Agenda” program with the purpose of establishing changes to organizing around teaching and learning at the UniServ and Local level by working with eight UniServs to align their missions, strategic goals and actual organizing with that of UEA. UEA, in collaboration with leaders, members, staff, allies and other community groups, will focus on advancing the cause of great public schools in Utah using UEA's Education Excellence Plan, National Board teachers, Teachers of the Year, and Teacher Leadership Initiative graduates to meet with community members and policy members. The goals of this work are to elevate the profession through professional development on education evaluation, Assessment Literacy, and student learning objectives; and to change the student program to organize around professional learning.
Utah School Employees Association
Grant ID: 333
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $750,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Utah School Employees Association (USEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to support a multi-year organizational transformation that can serve as a model for other affiliates that want to build strong, member-led associations focused on supporting student success and serving members’ on-the-job needs. This initiative will embed students’ needs and teachers’ professional development needs in the day-to-day activities of USEA staff and leaders, producing a membership increase sufficient to sustain the initiative.
Hawaii State Teachers Association, Idaho Education Association, Maryland State Education Association, NEA-New Hampshire, South Carolina Education Association, South Dakota Education Association, Utah Education Association, Vermont-NEA, and Wyoming Education Association
Grant ID: 329
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $3,190,254
Content Cluster:
Description: The nine-state consortium, with Vermont-NEA as lead affiliate, will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to create a large cadre of teacher leaders who, upon engaging in their own professional learning around Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), will train and encourage teachers, support professionals, and administrators in creating high-quality SLOs and assessments toward improving student learning and ensuring student success. Each affiliate will have the autonomy necessary to ensure that all participant educators develop the capacity to effectively implement SLOs in their own states and they also will share the best and most effective practices across all the states.
Federal Way Education Association
Grant ID: 287
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $64,350
Content Cluster:
Description: The Federal Way Education Association (FWEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to create a cadre of exceptional educators to help craft quality improvement plans for educators who are not meeting teaching and learning standards. Specifically recruited and trained, these educators will be viewed as ‘exceptional’ by their peers and evaluators. They will successfully assist principals in crafting fair and reasonable improvement plans to help struggling colleagues meet the standards of the new evaluation system. The goal is that feedback on the work of the cadre to help advance the Association’s goal of a quality educator in every classroom will be highly favorable. FWEA aims to continue this important body of work and to expand it to include teachers in the development of teacher evaluations and lead the effort to promote teacher growth/improvement.
Puget Sound UniServ Council
Grant ID: 275
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $84,352
Content Cluster:
Description: The Puget Sound UniServ Council will use its GPS Fund Grant to reach out to new educators to identify their professional needs so that they can develop tailored programming. They will then implement a SPARKS program to provide the specific information and training that will build the quality of the new educator’s practice. The grant will allow the Puget Sound UniServ Council to provide professional development to educators directly, both on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and in building the skills and knowledge that could lead educators to National Board Certification. The Puget Sound UniServ Council will also develop a training that will help educators reach out to the community and engage parents in the successful implementation of CCSS.
Seattle Education Association
Grant ID: 328
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $750,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Seattle Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to build a stronger union that improves student achievement. The association will tap esteemed educators to carry out teacher effectiveness programs and conduct outreach to parents; lead efforts to reduce class size and increase access to early childhood education; and direct professional development for teachers and para-professionals during this time of Common Core State Standards-driven changes.
Washington Education Association
Grant ID: 286
Dates: 10/15/2013 - 11/15/2014
Award Amount: $100,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Washington Education Association (WEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which represent the next wave of reform affecting members and students in every K-12 public school. The state of Washington is the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Lead Procurement State and a “Governing State,” as well as a Next Generation Science Standards “lead state partner.” WEA is developing and implementing a new, integrated statewide professional development network that will engage and professionally develop members, train leaders and staff, build stronger locals and collaborate with local communities. With this grant, WEA’s professional development network will significantly enhance CCSS implementation and thus positively affect members and students.
Washington Education Association
Grant ID: 309
Dates: 8/31/2013 - 8/31/2014
Award Amount: $20,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Washington Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant to facilitate and convene a School Safety Series, which aims to identify 36 interested ESP members for a School Safety Cadre, hold one two-day training session for interested cadre members, and identify 25 interested local teams of 3 (district/ESP/community member) to attend a statewide one-day safety symposium.
Washington Education Association
Grant ID: 343
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $650,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Washington Education Association (WEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to launch a statewide Professional Development Network to engage and empower leaders, members, and staff to advocate, bargain, organize, and promote high-quality public education practices and policies in their communities and statewide. This will increase WEA’s member relevancy, build its local capacity, and empower members to lead the profession and ensure student success.
Washington Education Association
Grant ID: 492
Dates: 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2018
Award Amount: $300,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Washington Education Association will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to expand its organizational capacity toward enabling educators to make general education classrooms more accessible to special populations of students and, in the process, improve instruction and learning outcomes for all students. The goal is for all students to be engaged in learning experiences that are referenced to common standards while responsive to the unique abilities and talents of individual students.
Washington Education Association
Grant ID: 578
Dates: 5/1/2016 - 8/31/2019
Award Amount: $450,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Washington Education Association (WEA) will develop and implement culturally responsive classroom management practices with its three-year grant. WEA will partner with the University of Washington and the Community of Color Organizations to develop and implement culturally responsive classroom management practices. WEA will share the developed practices with education stakeholders, Washington State schools, and the general public.
Puget Sound UniServ Council
Grant ID: 625
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2018
Award Amount: $81,800
Content Cluster: Early Career Educator Support & Engagement
Description: The Puget Sound UniServ Council (PSUC), a Washington Education Association affiliate, in partnership with 14 Washington State locals (Auburn Education Association, Dieringer Education Association, Dieringer Education Support Professionals, Enumclaw Education Association, Federal Way Education Association/Education Support Professionals, Kent Paraprofessionals, Orting Education Association, Sumner Education Support Professionals, Sumner Education Association, Tukwila Education Association, Tukwila Education Support Professionals, Vashon Education Association, Vashon Education Support Professionals, White River Education Association) will use a GPS Fund Grant to improve professional relevancy for members, with particular emphasis on the needs of new educators. The grant will be used to create a training cadre of 20 education professionals who will identify needed areas of professional development. Trainings will focus on the needs of early career educators, including assistance with the evaluation system, classroom management, formative assessment, Common Core State Standards, culturally responsive intervention strategies and restorative justice techniques, technology, and improving learning in ways designed to promote student success.
Green Bay Education Association
Grant ID: 532
Dates: 11/1/2015 - 10/31/2016
Award Amount: $60,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Green Bay Education Association (GBEA), in collaboration with The Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPSD) will use its GPS Fund Grant to create the Teacher Effectiveness and Continuous Improvement for Students Project. The objectives of this work are to provide training that strengthens teacher performance for students, and to ensure that individual teachers master skills and knowledge useful to showing continuous improvement based upon the district’s and DPI’s system. The goals of this work are to: provide GBEA members advanced and continuous trainings on improvement and workload management skills; provide trainings through Accomplished Professionals; create the Empowered Leaders training plan; and create a dynamic collaboration that will give leaders the opportunity to engage a wide variety of stakeholders moving forward.
Milwaukee Teachers Education Association
Grant ID: 327
Dates: 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2017
Award Amount: $750,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) will use its GPS Fund Grant to organize 70 percent of Milwaukee teachers to join the association by focusing on professional issues, including successful implementation of the Common Core curriculum and a new state teacher evaluation system. MTEA will determine whether organizing a critical mass of teachers, parents, and students around the needs of Milwaukee students will build the power base needed to improve schools and ensure high academic achievement and student success.
Wisconsin Education Association Council
Grant ID: 366
Dates: 5/1/2014 - 5/1/2017
Award Amount: $126,000
Content Cluster:
Description: The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) will use its GPS Fund Grant over three years to implement Wisconsin’s new Department of Public Instruction Educator Effectiveness system, designed to improve student learning by supporting continuous improvement of educator practices through performance-based evaluation. WEAC will provide leadership and assistance to local associations and members, increasing its capacity to ensure that Wisconsin students have highly effective teachers and schools.
Wisconsin Education Association Council
Grant ID: 630
Dates: 11/1/2016 - 10/31/2019
Award Amount: $167,444
Content Cluster: Systemic Change Initiatives
Description: The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) will use its GPS Fund Grant to create an Education Support Professionals (ESP) Ambassadors Program as part of a larger initiative to identify, train, and enable ESP to serve as leaders. WEAC’s ESP Ambassadors project has four components: 1) Establish a design team comprised of experienced WEAC ESP leaders; 2) select ESP Ambassadors to work with leaders and members of local and regional associations; 3) collection data to inform efforts to design and evaluate the project; and 4) promote the value of ESP in educating the whole child through internal/external campaigns.
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