Web pages

The New America Foundation developed this resource to provide detailed information and links about federal funding programs for PK–12 teachers. These grants range from large, comprehensive federal grants to smaller grants that teachers can apply for individually. 

Education Resource Strategies (ERS) conducted a small study of professional development spending in seven districts. The study found that districts rely heavily on unsustainable federal funding sources set to expire within a few years. Furthermore, school districts with higher concentrations of students in poverty tend to rely even more on unsustainable sources. 

This chart offers an overview of funding sources for teacher-led professional learning as well as a description of some broad and specific cost categories. Districts and schools will almost certainly need to tap several funding sources to design, pilot, implement, and sustain a well-developed teacher-led professional learning initiative. Those that want to fully and sustainably fund teacher-led professional learning can use this chart as a guide to considering how different funding sources might be used to support a range of professional learning activities.  

This checklist offers an overview of the three areas that school and districts should address in evaluating teacher-leaders as well as methods for measuring performance in each area. Districts and schools can use this as a guide to consider which methods they would like to use to measure teacher-leader performance in each area. 

The U.S. Department of Education created this initiative to spur teacher leadership. The website includes resources and examples of teacher leadership.

This brief program description from the Houston Independent School District (HISD) profiles how its career pathways program encourages top teachers to stay in the classroom and enhance student learning.

This resource from the New York City Department of Education describes how lead teachers in New York City take on increased job responsibilities for more pay. Lead teachers spend half their time leading other teachers’ professional learning and half their time teaching in their own classrooms. 

The District of Columbia Public Schools Leadership Initiative for Teachers (LIFT) is a five-stage career ladder that provides high-performing teachers with opportunities for advancement within the classroom. 

This Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools webpage for job candidates lists the required qualifications for professional development facilitators.

This job description from the District of Columbia Public Schools explains what is expected of an instructional coach.