A good portion of the approximately $100 billion for education through the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 must be spent on education, including Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants. These grants are available to states to promote better teacher preparation through higher education, provide support for new teachers, prepare teachers to work within technology, and recruit teachers in high needs subject areas such as math, science, and technology. Through recruitment many states have developed partnerships with institutions of higher education, both public and private, to develop programs that train teachers, often with scholarships. More than $43 million was released to states in 2009 to place teachers in residency programs and provide scholarships for teachers in shortage areas that include math, science, and technology. Teachers are also paid a wage and expected to teach for three years in a partnering high-needs school.
Each state Department of Education has its own program with information; many of them focus on educational technology. The Newark Montclair Teaching Residency Program is one such program that prepares teachers through a master's degree program where they also become certified to teach and complete a residency in a New Jersey high-needs school (rmcnewyork.com/Default.aspx?DN=9018571a-6078-40fc-8dc4-e0e8e9cacc8c).
Teach for America is a federally funded, state-run program designed to help close teaching shortages across the United States in areas of math, science, and technology. Prerequisites to apply or join Teach for America include a bachelor's degree and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50; you must be a U.S. taxpaying citizen or have permanent resident status. Teach for America prepares prospective teachers through education, teacher certification, and teaching residencies in high-needs schools to teach in shortage areas that include math, science, or technology. Students are able to use their existing backgrounds, usually in the business and private sectors, and apply it to their master's degree in teaching. The mission is driven by a need to bring professionals into schools to share experience and expertise in the mathematics, sciences, and technologies. Check with your state Department of Education for details about its Teach for American program, where and how to apply.
As the need continues to expand for educated technology professionals in education, so do the private funding opportunities. The Pat Chrysler Memorial Scholarship in the state of Texas provides support for teachers pursuing a Master Technology Teacher Program, a scholarship program developed by the Texas Legislature to aid teachers in becoming better skilled at using technology in the classroom and in teaching it.
The Foundation for Technology Education provides funding through scholarships to incorporate technology into curriculum.
The Siemens Foundation provides grants to low-income, minority students interested in entering the teaching fields of science, math, or technology (siemens-foundation.org/en/).