Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants (formerly the Teacher Incentive Fund)

To help eligible entities develop, implement, improve, or expand human capital management systems or performance-based compensation systems for teachers, principals, or other school leaders in schools (and especially those in high-need schools) serve

The TSL program supports entities in implementing, improving, or expanding their overall Human Capital Management System (HCMS), which by definition must include a Performance-Based Compensation System (PBCS). The TSL programs primarily serves educators in High-Need Schools who raise student academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students, although the program may also fund services for educators serving in high-need subject areas (though not necessarily in High-Need Schools), as determined by the LEA or the State.

Eligible applicants are local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that are LEAs in their State; State educational agencies (SEAs) or other State agencies; the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); and partnerships of (1) one or more LEAs, State agencies, or the BIE and, (2) and at least one nonprofit or for-profit entity. An LEA may receive a grant, whether individually or as part of a partnership, only twice.

SEAs, LEAs, the BIE, non-profit and for profit organizations, and students, teachers, principals, and other school leaders in an LEA's high-need schools.

Grantees may use funds for a wide variety of activities designed to develop, implement, improve, or expand human capital management systems or performance-based compensation systems, including (1) developing or improving evaluation and support systems that are based in part on demonstrated improvement in student achievement; (2) conducting outreach to gain information on how to construct evaluation and support systems; (3) providing principals or other school leaders with the tools needed to make effective school-level decisions, including budgetary, scheduling, and staffing decisions; (4) implementing, as part of a performance-based compensation system, a differentiated salary structure for teachers or leaders in high need schools or high-need subjects who raise student academic achievement or take on additional leadership responsibilities; (5) improving LEA processes for recruiting, selecting, placing, supporting, and retaining effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders in high-need schools; and (6) instituting career advancement opportunities that reward effective teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools and enable them to expand their leadership results. Grantees must use these funds to carry out the activities described in their approved project applications.

Applicants may apply for a project period of up to 3 years; the Secretary may choose to renew the grant for up to an additional 2 years if the grantee demonstrates that it is using funds effectively. Continuation awards for each year are subject to the availability of funds and a grantee's satisfactory progress.

The selection criteria are contained in the program application package and also generally published in the NIA published in the Federal Register. Contact the program office for more information.

If an applicant is successful, the Department of Education will notify the applicant's U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and will send the successful applicant a Grant Award Notification (GAN).

Other. The range of approval/disapproval time is approximately 90 to 120 days following the application deadline.

Applicants may apply for a project period of up to 3 years; the Secretary may choose to renew the grant for up to an additional 2 years if the grantee demonstrates that it is using funds effectively. Continuation awards for each year are subject to the availability of funds and a grantee's satisfactory progress.