Design service scholarships that cover a substantial portion of preparation costs, with stable multiyear funding and linked data systems¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report's policy recommendations for service scholarship programs: benchmark funding so the grant "covers a substantial portion of candidates' preparation costs"; ensure stable, multiyear funding and consistent administration so preparation programs can promote and implement the program; support implementation in the field including timely disbursement and engagement of local education agencies in hiring; apply lessons learned to new supports such as student teaching stipends; and strengthen data collection through inter-agency data sharing.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Sustained funding levels sufficient to meet candidate demand at an award level that substantially covers preparation costs, plus collaboration with interest holders and clear communication to implementers

Constraints¶

• The report notes $50 million for 2025–26 may be insufficient for nearly 7,500 annual recipients at the $10,000 maximum award, and uptake differs substantially across preparation programs, from 0% to full uptake

Target Learners¶

• State policymakers
• Educator preparation programs
• Aspiring educators with financial need

Target Learning Goals¶

• Strengthening the educator pipeline by recruiting, preparing, and retaining fully prepared teachers in high-need schools and subjects

Claims¶

• Golden State Teacher Grant recipients reported the scholarship made teaching financially feasible and led them to plan longer stays in high-need schools [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Build high-retention, supportive pathways into teaching for candidates of color
• Offer targeted service scholarships, loan forgiveness, and 1-year postbaccalaureate residency programs to rapidly expand the supply of well-prepared teachers in shortage fields and locations
• Deploy service scholarships, loan forgiveness, and teacher residencies to staff high-need fields and schools
• Establish high-retention preparation pathways—residencies, Grow Your Own models, service scholarships, and mentoring/induction—to stem turnover in high-need subjects and schools
• Sustain and expand residency pathways through maintained state grant funding, financial aid, apprenticeship structures, and technical assistance
• Build a diverse teacher pipeline through Grow Your Own grants, teacher academies, scholarships, MSI investment, and residency pathways
• State policy levers for sustaining yearlong, stipended clinical preparation: require or incentivize full-year stipended clinical experience, fund partnerships, and reduce testing fees
• Use state completer survey data within accreditation to flag struggling programs and expand subsidized high-quality clinical pathways for underserved candidates
• Deploy a portfolio of research-based strategies — service scholarships, residencies, Grow Your Own programs, mentoring and induction, and compensation reform — to strengthen the teacher pipeline

Examples¶

• Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program: a state scholarship for students of color in Illinois licensure programmes

Key Sources¶

• Leung-Gagné, M., Maria Castillo, M., Patrick, S. K., Carver-Thomas, D., Kini, T., Bingener, C., & Giani, M. V. (2025). Strengthening the educator pipeline through service scholarships: California's Golden State Teacher Grant Program. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/518.478