Teacher Pathways
Teacher Pathways by the William Penn Foundation funds research-driven projects to recruit, prepare, and retain a diverse, certified K-12 teaching workforce in Philadelphia.
Funder: William Penn Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling (Open Application) | Periodic RFPs (check program page for announcements)
Funding Amounts: Recent grants range from ~$50,000 to $200,000 per year; multi-year awards possible; Foundation will not fund more than 25% of an organization's operating costs for more than three years in five.
Summary: Supports projects that recruit and retain certified, diverse K-12 teachers in Philadelphia, aiming to align the teaching workforce with the city's student demographics.
Key Information: Proposals must focus on Philadelphia and align with the Teacher Pathways objective; both RFP and open applications are accepted.
Description
The Teacher Pathways initiative, funded by the William Penn Foundation, is designed to increase both the number and diversity of certified K-12 teachers in Philadelphia. The program specifically seeks to address the significant gap between the racial/ethnic makeup of the city's student population (86% students of color) and its teaching workforce (only 32% teachers of color), as well as the overall decline in the teacher pipeline. The Foundation supports innovative projects and programs that recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality, diverse educators, recognizing the link between teacher diversity, effective training, and improved student outcomes.
Eligible activities include teacher residencies, improvements to teacher preparation programs, career exploration initiatives, mentorship programs, and other evidence-based strategies that strengthen the pipeline of diverse educators in Philadelphia schools.
