Most of us can probably name at least one teacher who had a lasting impact, perhaps by inspiring a love of reading or making math relevant to our lives. All students deserve access to high-quality teaching, and all teachers need opportunities to enhance their skills.
To that end, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor have released a solicitation for the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program to train teachers and administrators in literacy and mathematics. Researchers at Rockman et al Cooperative have considerable experience with Department of Education programs, including SEED, and are seeking collaborators for this new opportunity.
General Information
- Deadline: Monday, June 1st, 2026
- Maximum project period: 36 months
- Estimated number of awards: 25 – 30
- Award size: $1 to $6 million per year, with an average total award of $3.5 million.
- Cost share requirement: Award recipients must match at least 25 percent of the total annual award with cash or in-kind contributions from non-Federal sources.
Project Funding Priorities
The SEED solicitation has two sets of absolute priorities that applicants must address and three competitive priorities that will earn them extra points.
- Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 specify who SEED grants can train. Applicants must propose activities for teachers, principals, or other school leaders that are supported by moderate levels of prior evidence. The solicitation (which you can download here) defines “moderate evidence.”
- Absolute Priorities 3 and 4 describe the training subject matter. Activities must promote evidence-based literacy or provide meaningful learning opportunities in mathematics.
- Competitive Preference Priorities:
- Returning Education to the States (10 extra points)
- Advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education (5 extra points)
- Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness (5 extra points)
Evaluation Plan Requirements
SEED proposals will be judged on four criteria, including the “quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building,” which is worth 25% of the total points. Applicants need to establish measurable performance goals and evaluate them as rigorously as they can. They must gather evidence that meets What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards without reservations on at least one project outcome. They must also use objective performance measures to continuously improve their project and potentially replicate its activities and strategies.
If you’re looking for a SEED evaluator, we can help. Our staff are well-versed in WWC standards and regularly conduct randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies. Visit our website to learn more about our work in literacy and teacher preparation. Please contact us for a complimentary 30 minute session to discuss your project ideas and needs.