Texas will direct $40 million to 411 school systems to help recruit, prepare, and mentor teachers, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday.
The funding comes through the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnerships, or PREP, allotment, which lawmakers established in 2025. Abbott said in a press release that the program aims to strengthen the state’s teacher workforce.
“Texas educators shape future generations, and it is critical that they enter the classroom ready to succeed,” Abbott said in the release.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in the same release that the funding would help districts recruit candidates and provide preparation and mentorship to educators beginning their careers.
The Texas Education Agency says participating districts and open-enrollment charter schools applied for 2026-27 funding for residency, Grow Your Own and mentorship programs. Participation is optional, and funding uses state school finance formulas.
Under the residency program, aspiring teachers receive pay while completing a year of classroom practice under a host teacher. The Grow Your Own program helps eligible school employees pursue teaching credentials and helps high school students prepare for teaching careers.
The mentorship program funds training and time for mentors to work with beginning teachers. It also pays at least $1,000 for each mentor teacher, according to the agency.
State records show 8,260 participants across the three programs as of September 11. The agency cautioned that the figures reflect a snapshot of records entered by that date and may change.
In North Texas, the snapshot listed 67 participants across the three programs in Dallas Independent School District and 37 residency participants in Fort Worth Independent School District. The figures are participant counts, not dollar amounts.
The agency said in a September newsletter that initial PREP funding would begin flowing in October through the Foundation School Program, according to each school system’s payment schedule.
Abbott signed House Bill 2, which created the allotment, in June 2025. As The Dallas Express previously reported, the school finance law also raised the state’s basic per-student allotment from $6,160 to $6,215.
Provided by Dallas Express
