The Request for Procurement (RFP) is posted at: https://www.nysed.gov/funding-opportunities/procurement-508-teachers-tomorrow-totsmbe-2026-2030-rfprfa-round-2 IMPORTANT: This is a re-issue of Procurement 254 which was originally posted on May 20, 2026. Districts that did not receive an award under Procurement 254 may submit an application. Districts awarded under Procurement 254 may only apply for different incentives not previously awarded. Legislative Authority The Teachers of Tomorrow Program was established under an amendment to Education Law, Chapter 62 of the Laws of 2000 to assist school districts in the recruitment, retention, and certification activities necessary to increase the supply of qualified teachers in school districts experiencing a teacher shortage, especially low-performing schools. Not more than sixty percent of funds allocated will be made available to any one school district. Purpose of Grant The purpose of the Teachers of Tomorrow Program is to provide a variety of incentives that will encourage prospective teachers to teach in a school district experiencing a teacher shortage or subject shortage, especially in districts with low-performing schools. The statewide shortage subject areas for 2025-26 are: Career and Technical Education (7-12), Language Arts (7-12), Library/Media Specialist (Pre-K-12), Mathematics (7-12), and Sciences (7-12), Special Education (7-12). The statewide shortage subject areas are updated each year and can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website(link is external). For the purposes of this Request for Proposal, early learning or early childhood education is a priority per the Deputy Commissioner of P-12. There are two grant programs for this funding opportunity. Program One (1): The Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT) - these grant funds are distributed on a competitive basis to eligible districts to fund activities in each of the following categories: Teacher Recruitment Incentives Summer in the City Internships for City School Districts in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers and NYC Department of Education Master Teacher Program Tuition Reimbursement Program Summer Teacher Training Program for NYC Department of Education schools ONLY Program Two (2): The Teachers of Tomorrow Science, Mathematics, Bilingual Education and English as New Language Tuition Reimbursement (TOTSMBE) Program funds are allocated to eligible districts to attract qualified teachers who have received or will receive a transitional teaching certificate, to teach in a low-performing school that is experiencing a shortage of teachers in science, mathematics, bilingual education, and/or English as a new language. Districts may fund activities in each of the following three categories: Tuition Reimbursement for Professional Certification in Science, Mathematics, and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Tuition Reimbursement for Initial Certification in Science, Mathematics, and ESOL Tuition Reimbursement for the Bilingual Education Extension Project Period 01/01/2027 — 06/30/2030 Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are districts experiencing a teacher shortage and school districts with a school building that has been designated as a low-performing school. In allocating grants to school buildings, a school district shall give priority in the following order: Schools designated as under Receivership Low-performing schools (Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), or Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) Schools that are designated as teacher and/or subject shortage areas, Schools that are designated as teacher- and/or subject-shortage areas. Note: Eligible applicants are school districts that did not receive an award under Procurement 254 as well as districts awarded under Procurement 254 seeking to apply for different incentives not previously awarded. Amount of Funding $6,791,100 annually for the two programs combined ($27,164,400 total for four years; the first “year” will be a six-month period). The previous cycle of funding for these grants was approximately $25 million annually. For this grant cycle, NYSED allocated $20,000,000 annually for Program One (Teachers of Tomorrow) and $5,000,000 for Program Two (Teachers of Tomorrow Science, Mathematics, Bilingual Education and English as New Language Tuition Reimbursement Program) for a total of $25,000,000. The first issuance of the RFP/RFA resulted in awards totaling $16,860,900 for TOT and $1,348,000 for TOTSMBE. The reissued RFP/RFA is to expend remaining funds. There is approximately $3.14 million remaining annually for TOT categories. There is approximately $3.652 million remaining annually for TOTSMBE categories. For TOTSMBE eligible districts who have not submitted an application for the 2026-30 grant, this reissuance is an opportunity to now apply for the district allocated funds. Funding beyond Year One will be contingent upon the State Legislature appropriating funds. In the event that the budget for this program is reduced, all grant awards will be reduced proportionately. For example, if NYSED awards a grant of $100,000 and funding is cut by 10%, NYSED will reduce that award by 10% or $10,000, for a revised amount of $90,000. Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: TOT Dover Union Free School District Fallsburg Central School District Genesee Valley Central School District Geneva City School District Greater Amsterdam City School District Greenburgh Eleven Union Free School District Hudson City School District Lackawanna City School District Lafayette Central School District Lansingburgh City School District Mexico Central School District Mount Morris Central School District Mount Vernon School District New York City DOE (NYC Div. of Human R) Newburgh Enlarged City School District Rochester City School District Roosevelt Union Free School District Schenectady City School District Scio Central School District Syracuse City School District Troy City School District Utica City School District TOTSMBE Buffalo City School District Cohoes City School District Dunkirk City School District East Ramapo City School District Mount Vernon School District Ossining Union Free School District Rochester City School District Schenectady City School District Syracuse City School District
