PEER 2.0 Funding Opportunities

Interim Assessment Incentive

Submission Deadline: May 16, 2025

The Interim Assessment Incentive is designed to reward teachers and school leaders for student achievement and growth in literacy and math based on local goals which are monitored throughout the year. This performance-based compensation incentivizes all teachers and school leaders for student achievement and growth.  This incentive is guided by data-informed local goal setting and tied to an approved interim assessment.

Teacher Certification Incentive - Licensure Exception

Submission Deadline: Various

The Teacher Certification Incentive is designed to reduce the number of teachers employed by PEER 2.0 partner schools who are not fully certified in the area(s) in which they are teaching. This performance-based compensation incentivizes teachers to become fully certified by obtaining a standard license(s) in the area(s) in which they are teaching.

Teacher Certification Incentive - Career Continuum

Submission Deadline: Various

The DESE Career Continuum is designed to extend the reach of exceptional teachers to more students and teachers through leadership from the classroom. The Teacher Certification Incentive - Career Continuum compensates teachers who obtain the following designation(s):

• Master Professional Educator (MPE)

• Lead Professional Educator (LPE)

Summative Student Growth Incentive

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

The Summative Student Growth Incentive compensates teachers and school leaders for student academic growth on a state metric. This incentive is based on the Value-Added Growth Score in the ESSA School Index (see the Arkansas Department of Education’s Business Rules for Calculating ESSA School Index Scores). 

School Leader Stipend

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

The School Leader Stipend compensates school leaders (e.g., principals, and assistant principals) for additional responsibilities related to the PEER 2.0 partnership.

Teacher Leader Stipend

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

The Teacher Leader Stipend is designed to promote educator effectiveness by utilizing distributed leadership within the school. Teachers who serve as teacher leaders in addition to classroom responsibilities are compensated with a Teacher Leader Stipend for additional leadership responsibilities related to the PEER 2.0 partnership. 

Teacher Leader Mentor Stipend

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

The Teacher Leader Mentor Stipend is designed to promote educator effectiveness by utilizing distributed leadership within the PEER Network. Teacher leaders who serve as teacher leader mentors in addition to classroom and teacher leader responsibilities are compensated with a Teacher Leader Mentor Stipend for additional leadership responsibilities within and across the network related to the PEER 2.0 partnership. 

Leadership Training Stipend

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

The Leadership Training Stipend provides funding for district and school leadership teams to participate in the APSRC Fall Conference leadership sessions. These stipends are intended to cover the costs of registration, hotel stay, meals, and mileage.

Summer Summit Travel Stipend

Automatically calculated by the PEER Network

Summer Summit Travel Stipends provide funding to help cover the travel costs for teacher leaders and school leaders to attend the required annual PEER 2.0 Summer Summit. The strategic planning at this event guides the priorities for schoolwide and personalized goal setting for the coming year and provides the foundation for coordinating all school improvement and career advancement opportunities. 

Interim Assessment Provision

Year Round Submission

The Interim Assessment Provision is designed to provide support for PEER 2.0 partner schools in establishing systems of data analysis to improve student achievement and growth throughout the school year.

Staff Pipeline Subgrant

Submission Deadline: November 29, 2024

The Staff Pipeline Subgrant is designed to increase the recruitment, development, and retention of diverse and highly qualified school staff. This is a competitive subgrant process. Interested schools develop and submit a project proposal to address teacher shortages and the recruitment and retention of diverse and highly qualified staff. 

Pursuing MPE & LPE Designation Subgrant

Submission Deadline: November 1, 2024 and April 15, 2025 (if funds remain)

The DESE Career Continuum is designed to extend the reach of exceptional teachers to more students and teachers through leadership from the classroom. The Pursuing the MPE & LPE Designation Subgrant incentivizes teachers to pursue the following designations through a DESE-approved pathway:

• Master Professional Educator (MPE) 

• Lead Professional Educator (LPE)