COLORADO (KOAA) — The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has begun accepting applications for the 2025-26 Educator Recruitment and Retention Program.
The program offers aspiring teachers and paraprofessionals up to $10,000 in financial assistance to cover the cost of educator preparation program fees.
According to CDE, the program aims to support those pursuing careers in shortage areas throughout the state who are committed to working in those positions for at least three years.
You can see a full list of the statewide shortage areas here.
Applications for the program opened on July 1 and will close on September 30. The CDE says that applicants should coordinate with their educator preparation programs when applying.
“This program helps ease the financial burden for aspiring educators and opens the door for more people to bring their talent into Colorado classrooms."
“More than 2,000 future teachers have already benefited from this support, and we look forward to reaching even more in the year ahead.”
The program was created in 2021 with the passing of Senate Bill 21-185, which aims to address the critical teaching shortages across Colorado.
According to the CDE, feedback from grant recipients shows that "88% of recipients remain in Colorado public school classrooms a year or more after receiving assistance, nearly half say they would not have become teachers without it, and 94% report that financial support positively impacted their careers."
Spots for the program are projected to fill up quickly.
To see eligibility requirements and apply for the program, visit the CDE's website here.
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