Beginning Educator Support Team Grants
The Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) grant opens biannually for application on a competitive basis for LEAs and ESDs. BEST grant applications are reviewed using the BEST Grant Rubric. We encourage interested, non-BEST districts to take advantage of other Beginning Educator Support Team support to develop their work, including:
- Using the Standards for Beginning Educator Induction to guide district thinking and planning.
- Selecting and training mentors through free Mentor Events and Trainings.
- Consulting with BEST program staff for creative ways to develop and fund induction work.
Continuing BEST Grantee Requirements
- Induction Program Components
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- A paid instructional orientation or individualized assistance before the start of the school year for novice educators;
- A trained and qualified mentor assigned to each novice educator;
- A goal to provide novice educators from underrepresented populations with a mentor who has strong ties to underrepresented populations;
- Ongoing professional development designed to meet the unique needs of each novice educator for supplemental training and skill development;
- Initial and ongoing professional development for mentors;
- Release time for mentors and novice educators to work together, as well as time for novices to observe accomplished peers;
- To the extent possible, a school or classroom assignment that is appropriate for the novice educator;
- Nonevaluative observations with written feedback for novice educators;
- Support in understanding and participating in the state and district evaluation process and using the applicable frameworks to promote growth;
- Adherence to research-based Standards for Beginning Educator Induction developed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction;
- A system of program evaluation that identifies program strengths and gaps using the Standards for Beginning Educator Induction, the retention of beginning educators, and positive impact on student growth for novice educators.
BEST Grant FAQs
- How can I apply for the BEST grants?
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When grants open, they are announced through the statewide grant notification system.
- When are grant awards made?
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Typically, BEST grants open for application in May and are open for about four weeks. Grants are then reviewed and awarded within the four weeks following the closing date. This timeline is subject to change.
2023-2024 Continuing Grantees
- Districts
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- Bainbridge Island School District
- Bellevue School District
- Bellingham Public Schools
- Bethel School District
- Blaine School District
- Bremerton School District
- Burlington-Edison School District
- Camas School District
- Central Kitsap School District
- Cheney School District
- Chief Leschi Tribal Compact
- Clover Park School District
- College Place Public Schools
- Dieringer School District
- Eastmont School District
- Eatonville School District
- Edmonds School District
- Enumclaw School District
- Ephrata School District
- Everett Public Schools
- Evergreen (Clark) Public Schools
- Federal Way Public Schools
- Fife School District
- Franklin Pierce School District
- Granite Falls School District
- Highline Public Schools
- Kent School District
- Lake Stevens School District
- Lake Washington School District
- Lyle School District
- Marysville School District
- Monroe School District
- Moses Lake School District
- Mount Vernon School District
- Mukilteo School District
- Nooksack Valley School District
- North Kitsap School District
- North Mason School District
- Northshore School District
- Ocean Beach School District
- Orting School District
- Pasco School District
- Peninsula School District
- PRIDE Prep Charter School District
- Puyallup School District
- Quillayute Valley School District
- Quincy School District
- Renton School District
- Richland School District
- Riverview School District
- Seattle Public Schools
- Snoqualmie Valley School District
- South Kitsap School District
- Spokane Public Schools
- Steilacoom Historical School District
- Sultan School District
- Sumner School District
- Tacoma Public Schools
- Tahoma School District
- Tukwila School District
- University Place School District
- Vancouver Public Schools
- Vashon Island School District
- Walla Walla Public Schools
- West Valley (Yakima) School District
- White River School District
- Yakima School District
- District Consortium
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Bridgeport/Pateros
Lower Valley Consortium: Grandview, Toppenish, Wapato, Zillah
Impact Public Schools BEST Consortium
- ESD Consortia - ESD 101
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Central Valley School District
Chewelah School District
Colfax School District
Colton School District
Columbia (Stevens School District
Colville School District
Creston School District
East Valley (Spokane) School District
Endicott School District
Freeman School District
Inchelium School District
LaCrosse School District
Liberty School District
Mary Walker School District
Medical Lake School District
Nine Mile Falls School District
Northport School District
Oakesdale School District
Pullman School District
Reardan-Edwall School District
Republic School District
Riverside School District
Rosalia School District
Selkirk School District
St. John School District
Tekoa School District
Valley School District
Wellpinit School District
West Valley (Spokane) School District
Wilbur School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 105
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Cle Elum-Roslyn School District
East Valley (Yakima) School District
Easton School District
Educational Service District 105
Ellensburg School District
Goldendale School District
Granger School District
Kittitas School District
Mabton School District
Mount Adams School District
Royal School District
Selah School District
Thorp School District
Wahluke School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 112
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Battle Ground School District
Castle Rock School District
Centerville School District
Educational School District 112
Glenwood School District
Green Mountain School District
Hockinson School District
Kalama School District
Kelso School District
Klickitat School District
La Center School District
Longview School District
Mill A School District
Mount Pleasant School District
Naselle-Grays River Valley School District
Ridgefield School District
Roosevelt School District
Skamania School District
Stevenson-Carson School District
Toutle Lake School District
Trout Lake School District
Wahkiakum School District
Washington State School for the Blind
Washougal School District
White Salmon Valley School District
Wishram School District
Woodland School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 113
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Chehalis School District
Elma School District
Grapeview School District
Hood Canal School District
Hoquiam School District
Lake Quinault School District
Mary M Knight School District
Montesano School District
Napavine School District
North Beach School District
North Thurston School District
Oakville School District
Ocosta School District
Olympia School District
Pioneer School District
South Bend School District
Southside School District
Taholah School District
Tenino School District
Toledo School District
Tumwater School District
Winlock School District
Yelm School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 114
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Cape Flattery School District
Chimacum School District
Port Angeles School District
Port Townsend School District
Quilcene School District
Quileute Tribal School District
Sequim School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 123
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Columbia (Walla Walla) School District
Dayton School District
Finley School District
Kennewick School District
Kiona-Benton School District
Paterson School District
Prescott School District
Prosser School District
Starbuck School District
Waitsburg School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 171
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Brewster School District
Cascade School District
Cashmere School District
Entiat School District
Grand Coulee Dam School District
Lake Chelan School District
Mansfield School District
Manson School District
Methow Valley School District
Nespelem School District
Okanogan School District
Omak School District
Orondo School District
Oroville School District
Palisades School District
Pinnacles Prep Charter School
Soap Lake School District
Tonasket School District
Warden School District
Waterville School District
Wilson Creek School District
- ESD Consortia - ESD 189
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Concrete School District
Conway School District
Coupeville School District
Darrington School District
Ferndale School District
La Conner School District
Lakewood School District
Lynden School District
Meridian School District
Mount Baker School District
Northwest Educational Service District 189
Oak Harbor School District
Sedro-Woolley School District