The NCTE Fund
Teachers for the Dream Affiliate Award

The NCTE Fund invites affiliates of the National Council of Teachers of English to implement initiatives aimed at recruiting English language arts teachers of color.  Several documented studies have demonstrated the need to develop recruitment strategies to meet the growing shortage of teachers of color in elementary and secondary American schools.  The multiethnic student population continues to increase.  According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2000 students of color comprised 39% of the overall public elementary and secondary school population.  In the same year, in the 100 largest school districts, the proportion of students of color was 68%.  Because so many of our students are students of color, teachers of color are needed at all grade levels for all students.  In response to this need, the NCTE Fund will offer grants of up to $750 each to selected affiliates that submit proposals to implement recruitment initiatives for teachers of color during the school year of the award.  Targeted groups should be teachers of color or students of color at the high school or college level.  Affiliates whose proposals are selected will received the grant and will be recognized at the Affiliate Awards Ceremony during the NCTE Annual Convention.

The following are examples of potentially successful recruitment strategies:

• Recruit into your affiliate a teacher of color new to the affiliate and NCTE, not necessarily new to teaching.  Mentor that teacher into active involvement with the affiliate as “learner-at-large” on the affiliate board.  Give the teacher complimentary affiliate and NCTE memberships, conference registrations, and an NCTE book stipend.  In return, ask that teacher to lend his/her expertise to the affiliate by writing articles for the affiliate publication, presenting his/her expertise at affiliate conferences, or working on affiliate projects.
  
• Develop a strand of programs for future teachers at an affiliate annual meeting and invite groups of students of color to attend.  Match them with experienced classroom teacher “mentors” who will maintain contact after the conference and counsel students as they develop their college and career plans.
  
• Set up programs involving college students of color as tutors in secondary school English classes or high school students of color as tutor/mentors in elementary school language arts classes.
  
• Establish links with Future Teachers of America clubs in urban secondary schools and colleges.  Ensure that part of the clubs’ agenda is devoted to the values and satisfactions of teaching English language arts.
  
• Write and distribute brochures or other recruitment aids featuring testimonials from English language arts teachers of color about the satisfactions derived from their careers.
  
• Develop booklets that inform students of color about scholarships available to prospective teachers of English language arts.
  
• Organize local and regional volunteer mentor-teacher networks.  Through these networks, experienced teachers of English language arts can be matched with secondary school or college students of color who have expressed an interest in teaching.  Mentors can identify student teaching/tutoring opportunities, monitor students’ academic progress, and help them select a graduate or certificate program.
  
• Produce demonstration sessions or videotaped presentations that will attract persons of color contemplating changes of career to the teaching of English language arts.

Note:  Any combination of the above suggestions or any creative plan will be seriously considered.
 
 

Eligibility:   Any affiliate of NCTE in good standing is eligible to participate.

Frequency/Number of Awards: Each year, up to $3000 in awards will be granted.

Award Specifics: Winning affiliates will receive their grants by mail when they are notified in September.  They will also be presented a certificate at the Affiliate Breakfast at the NCTE Annual Convention.  One year from the date of submission of the award, winning affiliates will send in an evaluation report to NCTE.

Award Criteria: Affiliates plan a program for recruitment of teachers of color into the affiliate or into the profession.  Programs as described in the application are judged for their thoroughness and their potential to recruit and retain teachers of color in the profession and the affiliate.  A model for a grant application has been included.

Deadline for Proposal: Applications must be mailed no later than May 1 in the year of the award to Division Director of Communications and Affiliate Services, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; Fax: 217-278-3760; E-mail: .  Questions?  Phone: 1-800-369-6283, ext. 3634.

Award Notification:  August of year of the award

Evaluation Report Due:    May 1 of year following award

Application Procedures:  Complete both pages of application and submit by deadline.