Washington, D.C.– The Department of Education has awarded a $51 million Teacher Initiative Fund grant to Maricopa County Education Service Agency to reward excellence in teaching and attract new education professionals to positions throughout the county. In a competitive review of applicants – including school districts, non-profits and states from across the country – Maricopa was awarded the grant based on its comprehensive plan to develop, reward, and support effective teachers and principals in high-need schools.

Maricopa is one of 62 recipient organizations identified by the Department of Education to receive a portion of the program’s first round of $442 million in funds. The total allocation will eventually reach $1.2 billion.

“The money from this grant will provide Maricopa County schools the resources to retain high-performing educators and attract new teachers to some of the area’s most underserved schools,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva. “Teachers and school administrators are the backbone of our nation’s education system. If schools lack the resources to maintain staff and encourage professional excellence, the quality of education plummets.

“Maricopa has articulated a coherent vision of just how it will go about doing this, and the county has earned these much-deserved funds to continue improving the quality of education for its students,” he said.

The Maricopa County Education Service Agency’s program will serve six Maricopa County school districts representing 52,000 students, 3,380 teachers, and 174 principals and assistant principals. Participating districts are Alhambra Elementary, Gila Bend Unified, Isaac Elementary, Nadaburg Unified, Phoenix Union, and Tolleson Elementary.

For more information, contact Maricopa County Education Service Agency at (602) 506-3753.