K-12 Funding for BetterLesson Professional Learning
Even when budgets tighten, high-quality professional development remains doable and necessary. Explore your options -- and see how BetterLesson's high-quality professional learning programs can fit with the funding sources you already have.
Investing in High-Quality PD
School and district leaders are increasingly asked to do more with less, especially when it comes to professional learning. But the good news is, there’s a variety of funding sources available to help you invest in high-quality professional learning that supports your goals and meets the diverse needs of your students and educators.
High-quality professional learning is a critical investment for improving student achievement. By leveraging these funding sources, you can bring BetterLesson’s data-informed, research-based PD to your schools, without touching your budget.
We're here to help
The BetterLesson team can help you navigate these funding options for your professional learning, or discuss how BetterLesson can support your district’s goals.
Title Funding
All Title funding through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) can be used for any of BetterLesson’s professional learning. Learning is supported by data and offers demonstrable impact on student achievement and educator effectiveness. BetterLesson is an ESSA certified provider of evidence-based professional learning in K-12 districts.
Title I, Part A: Low-income
Overview: Title I, Part A is designed to support schools and LEA’s with a high percentage of low-income students.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson professional development to improve academic outcomes, including training on differentiated instruction, accelerated growth, curriculum implementation, classroom management, and parent and family engagement. Private school set-aside funds can also be used to offer professional learning opportunities to teachers in eligible private schools.
Title I, Part C: Migrant Students
Overview: Designed to support the unique needs of migratory children, Title I, Part C provides funds for high-quality professional learning that helps educators better serve this special student population.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson’s student-centered teaching and learning, differentiated instruction, and student-centered professional learning to support academic success for migratory students.
Title II, Part A: Effective Instruction and Curriculum Implementation
Overview: Title II, Part A funding is available to all districts and is dedicated to enhancing teacher and principal quality through professional learning. Local educational agencies (LEAs) receive an allocation of funds based on enrollment and poverty data. Private and charter schools are also eligible for a portion of the funds.
How to Use It: This funding can be used for BetterLesson professional learning workshops, coaching, Learning Walks, courses, curriculum implementation and leadership development initiatives that aim to improve instructional practices and student achievement and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers and leaders. Funds can also be utilized to improve teacher and school leader effectiveness through BetterLesson's Teachership and Instructional Leadership learning opportunities.
Title III, Part A: English Learners
Overview: Title III, Part A funds help districts provide professional development that enhances instruction for English Learners (ELs).
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson’s student-centered professional learning services to support English Learner teaching strategies, models of differentiated instruction, and student-centered teaching & learning methods to enhance the success of multilingual students.
Title IV, Part A: Meet Local Needs
Overview:Title IV, Part A is intentionally designed to provide states and districts with flexibility to meet local needs. The federal government sets broad goals for the funds, but states and districts can decide how best to allocate them within those parameters.
How to Use It: This flexible funding source can be used to promote safe and healthy schools and expand access to a well-rounded education, including the use of technology in BetterLesson’s Blended Learning, and Student Centered PD experiences.
- State-Level Administration: Each state education agency (SEA) receives Title IV, Part A funds from the federal government and then allocates them to local education agencies (LEAs), such as school districts. States have the authority to determine specific priorities or requirements for the use of these funds.
- District-Level Decisions: At the district level, the use of Title IV, Part A funds is typically guided by the district’s needs assessment, which identifies the areas where funding will have the most impact. Districts have the autonomy to determine how they spend their allocations within the federal and state guidelines, which can lead to a wide variety of uses.
Title VI, Part B: Rural Schools
Overview: Available to small and rural school districts, Title VI funding helps improve student achievement and enhance educational opportunities.
How to Use It: Rural funds can be directed toward any of BetterLesson’s professional learning content and services, including new teacher support, curriculum implementation, instructional leadership, and more.
Title X, Part A: Education for Homeless Children and Youth
Overview: Funds are provided to support LEAs in implementing a coordinated system that supports the enrollment, attendance, and achievement of homeless children and youths in school.
How to Use It: Funds can be used to provide professional learning on Student-Centered Practices and other BetterLesson professional learning that increases educator's capacity to respond to the specific needs of homeless children and youth.
Federal Funding
Additional Federal funding sources can be used to purchase BetterLesson's professional learning services for educators across your school or district. These sources provide flexibility for enhancing educator effectiveness, supporting student growth, and meeting district-specific needs through evidence-based strategies.
Block Grants: Flexible Funding for Local Education Priorities
Overview: Block grants provide federal funding to states and local education agencies with broad flexibility to address key educational priorities, including professional development, curriculum enhancements, and instructional improvements. These grants allow districts to allocate resources based on local needs.
How to Use It: Funds can be used toward all of BetterLesson's professional learning services, including 1:1 coaching, instructional leadership, curriculum implementation, and special student populations programs aligned with district goals.
Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program (TSL)
Overview: Focuses on supporting high-need districts to improve teacher and school leader performance through innovative, personalized leadership support and professional learning for instructional leaders, principals, and teachers.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson coaching and instructional leadership professional learning experiences that increase teacher and school leader effectiveness.
Perkins V Grant: Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Overview: Perkins V funding is designed to support CTE programs by ensuring they meet industry standards and prepare students for high-skill, in-demand careers.
How to Use It: Perkins V funds can be used for professional development to support CTE teachers, administrators, and support staff. Districts can utilize Perkins V funds for BetterLesson’s professional development services by incorporating PD initiatives into their local application plans and Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA).
IDEA Grant: Special Education
Overview: States apply for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grant to support PD aimed at improving services for students with disabilities. Professional learning participants include special education teachers, general education teachers, paraprofessionals, and school leaders.
How to Use It: Professional learning funded through IDEA can focus on BetterLesson’s student-centered practices, differentiated instruction, and strategies for supporting diverse learning needs.
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC): After School Programs
Overview: Supports after-school programs and PD for those involved in extending learning beyond the traditional school day, including teachers, program coordinators, and community-based educators.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson’s Flexible Instruction Models, family engagement strategies, and more.
Teacher Quality Partnerships Grant
Overview: This competitive grant from the DOE the preparation of prospective teachers and enhancing professional development activities for new teachers; retaining teachers; improving the performance of school administrators
How to Use it: BetterLesson's Teachership and Principalship professional learning packages can be funded with by the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant.
Magnet Schools Assistance Program
Overview: The Magnet Schools Assistance Program funds LEAs to establish and operate magnet schools that achieve systemic reforms through innovative educational methods and
practices.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson’s Student-Centered Practices, Instructional Leadership, Curriculum and Academic Content, Flexible Instructional Models, and Student-Centered Teaching and Learning professional learning experiences.
School Improvement Funds
Overview: SIG, CSI, TSI, and ATSI funds are allocated by the state and districts to the lowest-performing schools for targeted support of comprehensive improvement initiatives for teachers, school leaders, and instructional support staff in schools identified for improvement.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson professional learning for teachers and leaders that aligns with school improvement plans and school interventions designed to improve student outcomes.
Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants
Overview: LEAs apply to the state education agency for funding to ensure high-quality literacy instruction and the implementation of effective instructional strategies that improve reading and writing outcomes in grades PreK-12.
How to Use It: Funds can be used for BetterLesson workshops, coaching, and Learning Walks focused on implementing student-centered literacy, literacy curricula, and new teacher effectiveness.
State & Local Agency Funding
Overview: Co-Service Agreements and Regional Collaborative arrangements exist through local education agencies and state partnerships for educators and administrators across districts.
How to Use It: Funds can be used to support regionally coordinated PD initiatives with BetterLesson, including training sessions for educators across multiple schools, 1:1 coaching, and data-driven Learning Walks to ensure learning experiences are effectively addressing regional priorities.
School District Bond Measures
Overview: Districts may pass bond measures that include allocations for technology, infrastructure, and high-quality professional development.
How to Use It: Funds may be allocated to BetterLesson professional development experiences in support of integrating new technology into instruction, implementing curriculum changes that align with newly adopted materials, and enhancing blended learning strategies directly tied to the funded capital improvements.
Private Funding
Overview: Foundations like Gates, Wallace, and Mayberg offer grants for innovative professional development that improves teaching and learning. Districts, schools, or educator groups can apply to fund programs aligned with their goals.
How to Use It: Private foundation grants can be used to fund any of BetterLesson’s professional learning initiatives aligned with the grant.
School & District Budget
Overview: School districts often designate funds for professional development in their annual budgets under categories like "Professional and Technical Services", "PD Supplies", or "Instructional Staff Training."
How to Use It: Districts can use these funds to partner with BetterLesson for personalized professional learning experiences including coaching, curriculum workshops, Learning Walks, as well as support for new teachers or instructional leadership.