2025-2026 Teach for America RFA Grant

The 2025-2026 Teach for America grant aims to enhance the quality of education in Texas by funding proven models to recruit and retain effective teachers, particularly in high-need areas like the Rio Grande Valley and major metropolitan regions. The initiative targets increased employment of TFA teachers, emphasizing training in Bilingual/ESL, science, and math. By 2026, the goal is to have at least 2,100 TFA educators in classrooms serving economically disadvantaged students, ultimately improving student achievement.

Program Description
The purpose of this grant is to support proven models to increase the number of effective teachers in Texas classrooms. Teach for America (TFA) will increase the number of effective teachers in the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools in Texas. It is the intent of the Legislature that by the end of fiscal year 2026 at least 2,100 TFA public school employees be employed in Texas schools that serve a proportion of economically disadvantaged students that is above the state average.
The goal of the program is to increase the number of effective teachers and leaders in Texas public schools by funding TFA. As a proven model, TFA will use funds to increase and improve the teaching skills and practices of TFA corps members with an emphasis on those teaching Bilingual/ESL, science, math and economically disadvantaged elementary and secondary students. The participating corps members must serve students in the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schools. Professional development and training should increase student achievement in focus subject areas.
Funding will emphasize:

• The employment and retention of TFA teachers in the field of mathematics
• Pre-service training with content-specific training for math and science

Ongoing support to corps members with an emphasis on those in Bilingual/ESL, science math and economically disadvantaged high need classroom placements for Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area schoolsEvidence of implementation of a plan to improve retention rates of TEA teachers