Texas distributes $40 million for teacher preparation and mentorship programs

More than 400 Texas school systems will receive a combined $40 million to recruit, prepare and support teachers through a new state funding program aimed at strengthening the educator workforce. You must forgive us for expressing some cynicism at the timing of this announcement, just one week before Election Day. 

Gov. Greg Abbott announced the funding Monday, Oct. 26, saying 411 school districts and charter school systems would receive money through the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnerships (PREP) Program Allotment. Established under HB 2 during the 2025 legislative session, the program provides dedicated funding for teacher preparation, paid classroom residencies, and mentorship opportunities. 

These are not monies bestowed by Abbott but are provided to districts based on meeting the qualifications of the grant as written in law and rule. Our cynicism stems from the governor’s leveraging of this disbursement to gain brownie points with educators in a very tight race with Rep. Gina Hinojosa that features public education as a motivating factor for voters. 

The announcement comes as Texas schools continue working to recruit qualified teachers and retain those already in the profession. While the $40 million represents an investment in developing the state's educator workforce, it is a strictly voluntary program and not a general pay raise or additional operating funds available to every school district. 

How the PREP allotment works 

According to the TEA, the PREP allotment supports several approaches to building a stronger teacher pipeline, including programs that help existing school employees become certified teachers, paid residencies that provide extensive classroom experience before certification and structured mentoring for beginning educators.  

One component, the Grow Your Own program, helps districts develop future teachers from within their communities. It can support paraprofessionals and other school employees , as well as high school students participating in education-related career pathways, in pursuing the required bachelor's degree and teaching certification needed to enter the classroom. 

The preservice residency program provides aspiring teachers with paid, yearlong classroom experience alongside experienced educators. Under TEA's residency guidelines, participating teacher candidates must receive at least $20,000 in compensation, while their cooperating teachers receive stipends of at least $2,000. 

The mentorship program focuses on educators in their first two years of teaching. Participating districts receive $3,000 per eligible beginning teacher to support mentorship, including a stipend of at least $1,000 for the mentor teacher, required training and scheduled time for mentors and new teachers to work together. 

The state is also preparing to expand the program through traditional and alternative certification partnerships next school year. TEA's implementation guidance outlines the five funding categories and application requirements. 

What the funding means for Texas educators 

For aspiring educators, paid residencies can help reduce the financial burden of completing classroom training. For experienced teachers, mentorship stipends recognize some of the additional work involved in helping new colleagues succeed. But questions exist about whether participating educators will receive adequate time, compensation and support to make these programs sustainable. 

Texas AFT has consistently emphasized that strengthening the teacher workforce requires more than recruiting new educators. Competitive salaries, manageable workloads, professional respect and meaningful support throughout a teacher's career all play a role in keeping qualified educators in classrooms. 

The PREP allotment offers districts additional resources to prepare and mentor teachers, but its long-term value will depend on how effectively those resources reach educators and whether the state continues addressing the working conditions that contribute to teacher turnover. 

With the first year of the program underway, districts will have an opportunity to demonstrate whether these investments can translate into stronger preparation, better support for new teachers and improved retention across Texas public schools.