The U.S. Department of Education announced the selection of 12 grant projects totaling approximately $50 million to support training programs for teachers working with English learners. The funding comes through the National Professional Development grant program, which has historically enabled colleges and universities to partner with school districts to develop certification and professional development pathways for both pre-service and in-service educators.
The grant awards follow a period of significant institutional disruption. In 2025, the Education Department experienced substantial workforce reductions affecting program staff, and the agency discontinued 28 multi-year grant projects deemed misaligned with administration priorities. Those discontinuations prompted legal challenges from advocacy groups and researchers, with cases remaining pending. The department received 163 applications for the current funding cycle compared with 150 applications during the previous round in fiscal year 2024.
The selection process included a new competitive preference requiring letters of endorsement from state leaders, a requirement that generated some uncertainty among applicants regarding implementation and expectations. Despite these concerns, all 12 selected grantees submitted the required state endorsement letters, which officials stated demonstrated alignment with state priorities and commitment to supporting the projects. The application process ultimately proceeded relatively smoothly, with successful applicants reporting that pre-existing relationships with state education agencies facilitated the endorsement process.
The funded projects predominantly address a critical gap in teacher preparation by building expertise among general education teachers who work with English learners but lack specialized training. Projects include efforts in Wyoming to triple the number of teachers with English-as-a-second-language endorsements, a South Dakota initiative to train teachers and administrators in language instruction across mainstream classrooms, and Central Washington University’s program to reduce financial barriers preventing pre-service and in-service teachers from obtaining ESL endorsements.
Educators and researchers expressed optimism about the funded initiatives, noting that dedicated funding mechanisms for higher education and K-12 collaboration on teacher preparation remain limited. The grants address longstanding research demonstrating the value of training mainstream classroom teachers in language-integrated content instruction, an approach that has historically faced implementation challenges due to financial constraints.
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