Description
The Teaching as a Priority Block Grant Program (TAP) was established under SB 1666 (Alarcon) in 2000. This statewide initiative is designed to assist school districts in providing incentives to recruit and retain credentialed teachers to teach in low-performing schools. The California Department of Education administers the program and awards block grants to school districts on a competitive basis. Districts have wide latitude over the types of incentives used to hire and retain credentialed teachers. These incentives can include, but are not limited to, signing bonuses, improved working conditions, teacher compensation and housing subsidies. The most common incentives used thus far by districts have been signing bonuses and improved working conditions, particularly stipends for classroom materials and supplies. Some of the TAP funding needed to be collectively bargained with teacher unions (e.g., stipends for teachers, class-size reduction, and seniority and transfer policies).

Funding
During 2000–01, the first year of the program, TAP was allocated $118.65 million to award to school districts. Districts apply on behalf of their low-performing schools, which are those that rank in the bottom half of the Academic Performance Index (API). Grant awards are precalculated based on school enrollment and school API, and funding is allocated to school districts on a per-pupil basis. In 2000–01, districts received $29 per student for schools ranked in the fourth and fifth deciles and $44 per student for schools ranked in the first, second or third deciles. TAP was budgeted to receive $118.65 million for 2001–02, but funding for the program was suspended due to a mid-year budget reduction. Funding has been restored for 2002–03, with a $30 million reduction from the first year.

Funding for TAP

Participation
Just under half of all school districts were eligible for TAP in 2000–01. Of the 579 districts that were eligible, 247 (or 43 percent) submitted proposals. A total of $100.8 million was distributed to 278 school districts. These school districts represented 2,766 schools, of which 1,799 schools ranked in the first through third deciles on the API and the remainder ranked in the fourth and fifth deciles. Los Angeles Unified School District received the most funding, at $24 million, while other large school districts, such as Long Beach, Fresno, Santa Ana, Oakland and Sacramento, each received between $1 million and $3 million.

Evaluation
Legislation requires a statewide evaluation of the TAP program and a report to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2004.

Additional Resources

• References for Teaching as a Priority Block Grant Program