January 20, 2026 – On behalf of the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR), CEO Kathlene Campbell, Ph.D., issued the following statement in response to the recently released proposed House fiscal year 2026 budget:
We thank Congress for its longstanding, bipartisan commitment to investing in educator preparation and for supporting proven federal programs that strengthen the teacher workforce. Programs such as Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED), Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP), the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program (TSL), the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence, and TEACH Grants play a critical role in ensuring that students—particularly those in high-need and underserved communities—have access to well-prepared, effective educators.
At a time when schools across the country are experiencing persistent teacher shortages, especially in STEM, special education, multilingual education, and rural communities, these investments are more important than ever. Federal support for high-quality teacher preparation helps recruit, prepare, and retain educators through evidence-based training, clinical experience, mentorship, and ongoing professional development—approaches shown to improve both teacher retention and student outcomes.
We urge Congress to continue this strong leadership by passing the education funding bill and ensuring these critical educator preparation programs are funded and enacted. Doing so will help build a stable and well-prepared educator workforce and reaffirm our shared commitment to educational opportunity for all students.
Together, Congress can help ensure that every student, in every ZIP code, is taught by a well-prepared teacher who is equipped to help them succeed.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Alicia Roberson
Director of Marketing and Communications
media@nctresidencies.org