Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program

Program Purpose

The TSL program supports entities in implementing, improving, or expanding their overall Human Capital Management System (HCMS), which by definition must include a Performance-Based Compensation System (PBCS). The TSL programs primarily serves educators in High-Need Schools who raise student academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students, although the program may also fund services for educators serving in high-need subject areas (though not necessarily in High-Need Schools), as determined by the LEA or the State.

What's New

FY 2018
There were no new competitions for the TIF or TSL programs during FY 2018.

FY 2017 Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program Grant Competition

The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to announce the launch of the FY 2017 Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program competition. The TSL program builds on the former Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) program and promotes performance-based compensation and comprehensive human capital management systems for teachers, principals, and other school leaders. For general information about this program and competition, information about the pre-application webinar, and information on how to apply, visit the TSL grant program page.

FY 2016 Awards

The U.S. Department of Education awarded 13 new grants under the FY 2016 Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) competition. These awards total $70,269,506 for the first project year. These projects will be implemented over a five year period. TIF funding will provide grantees with the opportunity to promote effective teaching through the development of human capital management systems and the use of performance-based compensation.

For more information about these awards, visit the Awards page.

Program Description

This program provides funding for projects that develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need schools. Performance-based compensation systems must consider gains in student academic achievement as well as classroom evaluations conducted multiple times during each school year among other factors and provide educators with incentives to take on additional responsibilities and leadership roles. The purpose of the TIF program is to support the use of performance-based compensation, and other human capital strategies that enhance and sustain performance-based compensation, in order to increase students' access to effective educators in high-need schools, and to expand the array of promising approaches that can help these educators and other personnel succeed.

TYPES OF PROJECTS

The TIF program uses performance-based compensation and related supports for educators to catalyze improvements in a district's human capital management system to drive increased student outcomes. By providing educators with performance-based compensation, including robust career ladder opportunities and a range of related educator supports--such as peer-to-peer coaching and job-embedded professional development--the TIF program aims to improve student outcomes by increasing educators' effectiveness.

The program has funded 131 projects to improve pay structures, reward effective teachers and principals and provide greater professional opportunities to educators in high poverty schools. The projects have served over 2,000 schools in more than 300 urban, suburban, and rural school districts in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Based on the core premise that educators have the greatest impact on student learning across various in-school factors, TIF awards competitive grants to States, districts, or partnerships with non-profit organizations.

TIF grantees have used federal funding to develop and fund teacher leadership positions and incentivize teachers to serve in high-need schools. Projects have included: teacher career pathway programs that diversified roles in the teaching force; teacher career pathways that recognize, develop, and reward excellent teachers as they advance through various career stages; incentives for effective teachers who take on instructional leadership roles within their schools; incentives that attract, support, reward, and retain the most effective teachers and administrators at high-need schools; rigorous, ongoing leadership development training for teacher leaders and principals, leadership roles for teachers aimed at school turnaround; and the creation of new salary structures based on effectiveness.

Included below is information regarding new TSL and TIF grants made in recent years.

Complete List of FY 2023 Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants MS Excel (29 KB)

Funding

Included in the chart below is the amount of funding per fiscal year for new awards under both TSL and TIF in recent years. The TIF program will sunset as of FY 2021, and all program funds will then be used for grantees under the TSL Program.

FY 2020 $63,673,531

Legislation

The Teacher and School Leader Incentive Fund (TSL) program was established by Sections 2211-2213 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as reauthorized on December 10, 2015, by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The TSL program replaces the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) program previously authorized in P.L. 109-149 — the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Title V, Part D. To download and read TSL's Authorizing legislation please visit Part B, Subpart 1 of the ESSA Law.

FY 2023 TSL Notice Inviting Applications

Posted in the Federal Register on May 24, 2023

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Applicant Information

The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to announce that the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program published in the Federal Register on May 24, 2023 and closes on June 28, 2023. The Department of Education plans to award approximately $95 million to eligible applicants to develop, implement, improve, or expand comprehensive performance-based compensation systems (PBCS) or human capital management systems (HCMS) for teachers, principals, or other school leaders (especially for teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools who raise student growth and academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students.

TSL Competition Flyer

TSL Competition Brochure

Grant Opportunity and Application Package (Grants.gov):

More information about this grant opportunity is located on Grants.gov at the following address: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=84.422a. The application instructions and required forms can be accessed and downloaded from this location.

FY 2023 TSL Competition Timeline

• TSL Application Publish Date: May 24, 2023
• Intent to Apply: June 7, 2023 (Email Intents to Apply to TSL@ed.gov SUBJECT: Intent to Apply TSL FY 23)
• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 28, 2023 (11:59:59 pm EDT)
• Estimated Award Announcement: By Sept 30, 2023

Pre-Application Informational Webinar

On Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 2pm EDT, the U.S. Department of Education held a pre-application webinar for the FY 2023 TSL competition. You may view the recording of the pre-application webinar using the following link: Recording | Webinar Slides

Electronic Applicant Submission

Applications must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov system at http://www.grants.gov.

• Applicants are encouraged to download the TSL Application Instructions document and review it in its entirety. It contains information and instructions that will be helpful to you as you prepare to submit your TSL application.
• The TSL Application Instructions Package should be used as guidance only and applicants should always refer to the TSL NIA for official application instructions.
• Use the following link to download and review the TSL Application Instructions.

Required Application Forms

The following ED required forms are included in the electronic application package in Grants.gov. Below is a list of the required forms that must be completed and submitted at the time of application. Electronic versions of each form can be found at the following link: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

• ED Form 424 — Application for Federal Education Assistance (Form and Instructions)
• ED Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information — 1894-0017
• gov Lobbying Form
• Standard Form LLL — Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
• Required Response to Section 427 of GEPA
• EED Budget Narrative Template (see below)

Required TSL Program Forms

Required EED Applicant/Grantee Budget Worksheet — This EED Applicant/Grantee Budget Worksheet is REQUIRED and should be submitted in addition to the ED 524 Budget Form for the TSL program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the document instructions as well as solicit help from their budget office when completing the worksheet. The worksheet must be submitted at the time of application. This budget worksheet must be completed and uploaded into the Budget Narrative Attachment section of your TSL application.

• Required EED Applicant/Grantee Budget Worksheet
• Required EED Applicant/Grantee Budget Worksheet Instructions

Optional TSL Program Form

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the TSL Checklist to assist them in completing the TSL application. The worksheet is optional and can be submitted at the time of application.

Optional TSL Application Checklist

Peer Review Panel Member Opportunity

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is seeking expert peer reviewers for the Fiscal Year 2023 competition for the Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive program. We invite individuals with backgrounds or expertise in American history, civics education, professional development and/or program evaluation to apply for consideration. If you are interested in serving as a peer reviewer for the FY 2023 TSL competition, please send an email to TSL@ed.gov SUBJECT: FY23 TSL Peer Review.

Previous TSL Competitions:

• FY 2021 - TSL Competition
• FY 2020 — TSL Competition
• FY 2019 — Although there were no new competitions for the TIF or TSL programs in 2019, one additional award was made from the 2017 competition results.
• FY 2018 — There were no new competitions for the TIF or TSL programs.
• FY 2017 - TSL Competition (Historical — Teacher and School Leader Program, post ESSA authorization
• FY 2016 - TIF Competition (Historical — Last Teacher Incentive Fund Competition)