A: The United States Department of Education’s Teaching American History grant program was created in 2002 by Senator Robert Byrd’s bill to improve the teaching of traditional American history in public K-12 schools. A typical TAH grant provides in-need school districts with either a $500,000 or $1 million grant for a 3-5 year time period. The TAH grant specifically focuses on professional development for teachers ”designed to raise student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of traditional American history.” Congressional funding varies every year. In most recent years, between 100 and 120 grants are funded each year, and any school district is eligible to apply.

A: Local education agencies (LEAs) or consortia are able to apply for a TAH grant. Examples of an LEA are as follows:

1. Public School District
2. A school recognized/authorized by a State to perform the function of a public school. Some states recognize a charter schools or magnet schools as an independent district. In those states Charter Schools and Magnet schools qualify to apply.
3. Regional Education Agency. States may refer to these entities by different names such as BOCES, RESA, and Intermediate Unit.
4. An elementary or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Some restrictions apply. (See www.ed.gov website)

If you are unclear AIHE will be more than happy to help you determine whether you qualify to apply to the Teaching American History grant.

A: The goal of the TAH grant is to provide intensive, content-based professional development programs for social studies and history teachers. The American Institute for History Education’s professional development takes many forms including 2-3 day colloquia, 5-10 day Institutes, Field-Study™ trips, workshops or seminars, and online webinars. At AIHE, we specialize in this professional development and will help you create the kind of grant that allows teachers to grow in their historical knowledge, teaching methods and curriculum/lesson development.

To better understand the term “traditional American history”, the Department of Education uses this description: “the significant issues, episodes, and turning points in the history of the United States; how the words and deeds of individual Americans have determined the course of our Nation; and how the principles of freedom and democracy articulated in the founding documents of this Nation have shaped America’s struggles and achievements and its social, political, and legal institutions and relations.” AIHE will be happy to structure your grant application so that it directly relates to this definition of traditional American history, thus increasing your chances of submitting a successful application.

A: AIHE assists with every stage of the TAH grant-writing process at ZERO cost to the district. AIHE can write the entire TAH grant for your district or provide consultation and technical assistance as a partner on the grant. AIHE is the top history education professional development provider in the nation. AIHE prides itself on providing the most complete, all-inclusive professional development with costs of up to 40% lower than other service providers. These low costs allow for more high-quality programs to be included in your grant. In addition, we feel that we offer superior support; we are always just an e-mail or phone call away when a question arises.

We will work with you to tailor your grant application so that it meets the exact needs of your teachers. In the past, 96% of teachers considered their AIHE fellowship the best professional development they have ever experienced, and 98% would recommend their AIHE experience to their colleagues. In the end, we hope that your teachers are provided with the best professional development available, and we think we can live up to that standard.

A: There are numerous benefits to working with AIHE. When you partner with AIHE, you benefit from AIHE’s extensive experience in writing and implementing the TAH grant. AIHE has written more than 80 awarded grants and delivers approximately 600 days of professional development each year. We have an internal team of grant writers and experienced former TAH project directors to work on your TAH grant; we do not require the need of a third-party grant writer unless requested.

Flexibility, quality and value are important to us. We work diligently to fulfill every need your district and teachers may have while allowing your project director the freedom to create the best grant design for you. It is our goal for your teachers to be completely satisfied with the experience and to come away with the knowledge and skill set necessary to further engage their students. Evaluations from independent grant evaluators show great results. (Read more about AIHE’s proven track record.)

AIHE also delivers the highly acclaimed online resource CICERO: History Beyond the Textbook™, our online American history professional development tool and classroom resource, and SojournerHistory.com, our online African-American history resource.

A: AIHE is very familiar with the TAH grant and has had a high rate of success in partnering on grant applications that have been awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. On average, 100 and 120 grants are funded each year with approximately 400 districts applying. Although AIHE cannot guarantee funding, we have the experience necessary to help produce the best grant application possible. To do so, AIHE will help meticulously match your district needs with the goals stated by the U.S. Department of Education. Starting early in gathering data about the district, gaining district/consortium support and registering with E-grants will expedite this process.

A: The participating districts in AIHE’s TAH-funded Fellowship™ models will receive high-quality professional development for their teachers at ZERO COST to the district; there are no matching fees or outside costs, and substitute teacher fees are incorporated into the grant. Teachers will receive award-winning resources, the ability to develop their skills as a research historian and to learn firsthand from historical sites on Field-Study™ trips. Additionally, teachers will receive a stipend for their time and the ability to obtain graduate credits and professional development hours for their participation in any of AIHE’s Fellowship programs.

A: Once the grant is announced, there is a 60-day window for districts before the final deadline for submission of applications. Contact AIHE for our comprehensive timeline with weekly tasks included. Even if you are starting late in the process, this timeline will be helpful in leading up to completion of the grant application.

A: Although it might be frustrating to spend time writing a grant only for it to not be funded, AIHE will provide the consultation, knowledge and experience necessary for a successful grant application and will even write the grant for you free of charge. In the event that our first try is not awarded, districts that apply a second time have a greater chance of funding.

A: The “Needs” section of the grant tends to be the most time-consuming for districts. This involves gathering information and statistics in regards to No Child Left Behind standings, socio-economic status, student testing and teacher pre-assessments. Because this information sometimes takes weeks to gather, we recommend that districts start this process prior to, or as soon as possible after, the grant announcement.

A: No, the U.S. Department of Education does not favor any partners over others in grant funding. Grants are awarded to districts that partner with at least one historical society, university, museum, or nonprofit organization. Each district should partner with the organization(s) that best meets its needs. AIHE is listed by the USDOE as a history-related resource for the TAH grant. Visit our partners page to view the full list of partners we bring to all of our TAH grant programs.

A: AIHE partners with 80 districts around the country and continues to recommend a healthy mix of local and national partnerships to strengthen the TAH grant application. In fact, AIHE has the greatest number of partnering districts in Florida and California. We send our team of professors, historians, master teachers and education specialists to your district to conduct the professional development on location. With presenters from across the nation, AIHE is able to deliver specific content and methods training to fit the exact needs of your teachers.

A: All districts are permitted to submit a grant application every year, no matter if their grant was funded in years past; many districts receive multiple grants within a few years. If you have an existing grant and are interested in adding a component such as a Field-Study™ trip, a 5-day professional development Institute, CICERO: History Beyond the Textbook, or any other unique need, AIHE will be happy to create a package to benefit your grant.

A: No, AIHE is not a one-size-fits-all partner. AIHE will write the grant or assist in the grant-writing process if we are included as a partner. We look forward to being a part of your grant at any and/or every stage of the process. AIHE will write customized packages and sections of your grant to include CICERO, colloquia, a Field-Study™, sustainability programs, etc. Also, we offer thematic or chronological modules that we can integrate into your grant such as “The American Revolution,” “The Civil War,” and “U.S. History through Local History.” Please e-mail us or call us at (856) 241-1990 for more information.

A: The project director has a crucial role in facilitating the professional development programs of the TAH grant for district teachers. It is his/her duty to oversee all grant operations. The project director’s commitment and leadership is vitally important to the success of the grant. AIHE is eager to provide support when needed and will work with project directors at their convenience. After a TAH grant is awarded, AIHE will host project directors at our two-day “Meeting of the Minds” conference on best practices in grant administration and effective professional development. At this conference, project directors will meet many of AIHE’s top-quality presenters and gain a better understanding of the TAH grant process.

A: AIHE specializes in working with each and every district to provide the best professional development possible. Every district is different in its approach to TAH grant management, and we work very hard to provide the perfect amount of support and consultation. Our aim is to develop a customized program that satisfies the call of the grant and the district’s goals.