At a glance
The 84.325J program funds cooperative agreements for registered apprenticeship programs that attract, prepare, and retain special education teachers or early intervention personnel. Eligible applicants are State educational agencies and other public agencies, including IDEA Part C lead agencies and State apprenticeship agencies; local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and public charter schools are not eligible. The maximum award is up to $5,000,000 for 60 months, with no more than $1,000,000 in any single budget period. The 84.325K program funds grants to prepare and increase the number of personnel qualified to serve children with disabilities, including in early learning programs, child care, classrooms, schools, and natural environments. Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education and private nonprofit organizations, and the maximum award is up to $1,250,000 for 60 months, with no more than $350,000 in any single budget period.
What it funds
Official description from grants.gov
Program Description: The purposes of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-identified shortages and needs for personnel preparation in special education and early intervention, including infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children. The purpose of the Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Registered Apprenticeships competition is to fund cooperative agreements that support registered apprenticeship1 programs that attract, prepare, and retain special education teachers or early intervention personnel. This priority is particularly relevant for special education and early intervention, where high-quality preparation must be accessible, practice-based, and closely integrated with service delivery systems. Preparing qualified special education teachers and early intervention personnel through registered apprenticeship programs addresses critical workforce shortages, integrating work-based learning, and connecting preparation with local and State labor demands. 1Note: ED encourages applicants to consider the definition of Registered Apprenticeship Program as defined in 5 CFR 362.102 and 29 CFR part 29. Assistance Listing Number: 84.325J. Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs , published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions . Note: For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at ED, please consult our “ Getting Started with Discretionary Grant Applications ” webpage.
Who can apply
- Others
“The two competitive preference priorities are: Applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Applications from New Potential Grantees.” — From the announcement