California’s Golden State Teacher Grant Program

What is the Golden State Teacher Grant Program?

To help address persistent teacher shortages and increase access to teacher preparation, California policymakers established the Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) Program, administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Since 2020–21, the state has invested more than $570 million to provide upfront grants to teacher candidates, and, later, Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) candidates (i.e., those training to be school counselors, social workers, and psychologists). Grant recipients commit to serve for 2 years in a California priority school (schools in which at least 55% of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, are English learners, or are living in foster care) or a State Preschool Program. This requirement helps recruit and retain qualified educators in the schools with students who need them the most.

GSTG parameters have evolved over time: The maximum grant amount started at $20,000 in 2020 but was reduced to $10,000 in July 2024 as program funding declined. At the same time, the service commitment was reduced from 4 years to 2 years, and the program began prioritizing applicants with greater financial need.

What has the GSTG Program achieved in its first 5 years?

To assess statewide participation in the GSTG Program from 2020–21 to 2024–25, the Learning Policy Institute analyzed administrative and survey data provided by CSAC and conducted interviews with staff from educator preparation programs. The analysis shows that the GSTG Program has become a key tool for strengthening California’s educator pipeline—reducing financial barriers to preparation and directing teachers to high-need schools. Findings include:

• Broad participation and reach. Since its launch, the GSTG has supported more than 28,000 aspiring educators, including 22,851 teacher candidates and 5,812 PPS candidates. In 2023–24, nearly half (45%) of California’s new teacher candidates were GSTG recipients.
   
• Contribution to teacher supply. The GSTG likely contributed to the 23% increase in the number of California-prepared individuals earning preliminary credentials between 2022–23 and 2023–24. More than 9 in 10 (93%) survey respondents reported that the grant was important to completing their program.
   
• Expanded access to preparation for diverse teacher candidates.
   
  • Candidates of color. More than 71% of the survey respondents identified as people of color, compared to 57% of new teacher candidates statewide.
     
  • Candidates with high financial need. Nearly 4 in 5 recipients were Pell Grant eligible, using GSTG funds to cover living expenses and reduce their reliance on loans or the need to work a second job.
     
  • Career switchers. Over half of the recipients were age 30 or older, suggesting that the GSTG helped attract mid-career professionals into teaching.
     
• Encouragement to teach and serve in high-need schools. Nearly three quarters of recipients said the GSTG influenced their decision to pursue teaching, and two thirds said it shaped their decision to teach in a high-need school. Nearly 9 in 10 GSTG recipients teach in priority schools, and most plan to stay beyond their service commitment.
   
• Support service in hard-to-staff fields. Most recipients reported teaching in hard-to-staff fields, including special education, mathematics, and science.

What do recipients say about the GSTG Program?

Responses from GSTG recipients highlight how the grant enables aspiring teachers to enter and stay in the profession, including:

“I would not be able to go to school, become a teacher, and afford basic living costs without this grant. … I am now in year 3 of teaching. … I am about to clear my credential, and I have earned a master’s degree.”

“Coming from a low-income family, the financial burden of pursuing a teaching credential felt overwhelming. … At the time, I was working as a teacher assistant and truly loved being in the classroom, but I didn’t see a realistic path forward. Receiving the Golden State Teacher Grant gave me the support I needed Thanks to the grant, I am now teaching.”

“Changing careers to teaching felt impossible because I couldn’t afford to return to school. Then I was introduced to the [Golden State Teacher Grant], which opened a door and helped connect me with the high-need school I currently work at and hope to remain in for many years.”

What are the policy implications?

To sustain and strengthen this impact, policymakers and practitioners can consider several key actions:

• Stabilize program funding. The GSTG received one-time funding of $50 million in the 2025–26 budget, which may be insufficient to meet current and future demands. Stable long-term funding will be needed for the GSTG to continue making a strong contribution to California’s supply of fully prepared educators.
   
• Benchmark funding to cover a substantial portion of preparation costs. After the maximum award was reduced from $20,000 to $10,000, recipients have increasingly relied on loans or outside work. On average, candidates face about $25,000 in unmet need beyond available aid. Maintaining grant levels that cover a substantial portion of total costs will maximize the program’s effectiveness in supporting diverse candidates.
   
• Support program implementation and access. Participation rates vary widely across educator preparation programs, reflecting differences in staffing capacity and outreach. Providing technical assistance, particularly to programs with limited financial aid staff, and improving coordination with local education agencies can help ensure equitable access, timely disbursement of funds, and high rates of service fulfillment in priority schools.
   
• Apply lessons learned from the GSTG to new initiatives. For example, lessons from GSTG—particularly those related to stable funding, collaboration with interest holders, and clear communication—can inform effective design and rollout of the Student Teacher Stipend Program enacted in the 2025–26 budget. The state’s teacher recruitment initiative, funded in the 2025–26 budget and managed by the Kern County superintendent of schools, can integrate outreach about both programs to streamline candidate communication.
   
• Strengthen data collection to better evaluate the impact of the grant. CSAC currently relies on voluntary reporting to track credentialing and service completion. A data-sharing agreement among CSAC, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the California Department of Education would enable systemic tracking of recipients’ credential attainment, employment, and retention.

This research was supported by the Gates Foundation.