From its first Summer Institute in 2009, the Teacher Quality and Retention Program (TQRP) has provided high-caliber training and mentoring to aspiring, pre-service and new teachers from publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country. The result of lessons learned from a 2006 Gates School Reform grant, as well as the Teacher Prep Program Pilot in 2008, TQRP has emerged into a robust, research-based program that has impacted over 200 Program Fellows, and as a result, over 1,500 K through 12 students annually in high-need urban and rural areas located across 22 different states. TQRP provides high-quality, pre-service training, as well as personalized support once teachers enter into the classroom.

TQRP offers an intense two-week Summer Institute that convenes all three individual areas of focus (HBCU Males, STEM and New Teachers) to develop sound pedagogy, discuss and demonstrate research-based educational practice, and analyze current educational policy – all with the goal of developing the skills needed to be future teacher leaders. TQRP Fellows have the opportunity to collaborate with master teachers and TMCF staff to:

+ Work toward becoming certified teachers
+ Successfully complete their first three years in the classroom
+ Acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become National Board Certified Teachers when eligible to apply