Teacher Preparation

The William Penn Foundation, a private philanthropic organization based in Philadelphia, supports efforts that foster equitable and inclusive communities through high-impact funding in areas such as education, the arts, and the environment. Through its Children and Families program, the Foundation is advancing an initiative aimed at increasing the number of certified K–12 teachers in Philadelphia by 2035, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that the racial and ethnic composition of the teaching workforce better reflects the demographics of the student population. This initiative is a response to persistent and growing challenges within the education system in both Philadelphia and the broader state of Pennsylvania. The teacher pipeline is shrinking significantly, with approximately 9,600 educators—7.7% of the state’s teaching workforce—leaving their positions in the 2022–2023 academic year. The situation is more severe in Philadelphia, where teacher attrition exceeds 15%, the highest in the state. Compounding this issue is a decline in the number of newly certified teachers, with in-state certifications dropping from over 15,000 in 2010–2011 to approximately 4,200 in 2021–2022. A stark disparity in racial representation also persists: while 86% of students in Philadelphia identify as people of color, only 32% of teachers share similar racial or ethnic backgrounds. The Foundation seeks to fund local organizations engaged in innovative and effective efforts to address these issues. The grant opportunity supports a wide range of strategies to recruit and retain high-quality, diverse teachers. These strategies may include teacher residency programs, enhancements to teacher preparation curricula, structured career exploration for potential educators, and mentorship initiatives designed to support early-career teachers. The Foundation encourages organizations to propose interventions they believe will be most impactful in achieving the stated objective of workforce diversification and expansion. Eligible applicants must be based in Philadelphia and able to demonstrate alignment with the Foundation’s focus on improving teacher certification rates and racial representation within public school classrooms. The Foundation assesses progress using several key indicators, including the percentage of teaching certificates issued by preparation programs within Philadelphia, the proportion of classroom teachers operating under emergency permits, and shifts in racial and ethnic representation among educators relative to student demographics. Applications are evaluated based on the potential for measurable impact on the identified objectives, alignment with community needs, and sustainability of the proposed strategies. While specific submission procedures, award amounts, and deadlines are not listed in the provided information, interested applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation directly for further guidance. For inquiries, applicants may contact Stephanie Waller, Program Officer for the Children and Families initiative, via phone at (215) 988-1830 or email at grants@williampennfoundation.org. The Foundation is located at Two Logan Square, Suite 1100, 100 North 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Additional information and updates can be accessed through the Foundation's Grants Portal.