Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act
Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-8,113, the purpose of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act is “to provide financial incentives to recruit and retain teachers in Nebraska classrooms.”
This grant program provides $2,500 retention grants to teachers in their 2nd, 4th, and 6th year of teaching, this is for total years of teaching experience. It also provides a one-time $5,000 high-needs recruitment grant to teachers who “obtain an endorsement in special education, mathematics, science, or technology, or signs a contract to complete a school year of full-time employment as a teacher at a Nebraska school in school year 2026-27 and teaches at least one dual enrollment course during such school year.”
This program ends January 1, 2028.
If you have any questions, please email: nde.trra@nebraska.gov
Important Notices
- 2026-27 school year application open January 7th, 2027 – The application link will go here once it’s ready.
- This application is a first-come-first serve approval. Once the funds run out, we do not have the ability to approve anyone else.
- The application will close on February 7th, 2027, at 11:59pm CDT.
- You will not receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your application, you will be able to download your submission at the end of the application.
- You will receive an email after the application closes to submit supporting documentation with steps on how to login to our secure website for uploads.
TRRA Summary Report for the award years 2023-25
Survey report coming soon.
The table below illustrates the number of applications received for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act Program.
| Total applications received | Total number of awards distributed | Total amount distributed |
| 4561 | 2000 | $5,000,000 |
The table below illustrates the number of applications received for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act Program.
| Total applications received
4,898 |
Total awards distributed
1,646 |
Total amount distributed
$5,000,000 |
| High-Needs apps received
336 |
Received High- Need Grant ($5,000)
126 |
High-Needs amount distributed
$630,000 |
| Retention applications received
2,071 |
Received Retention Grant ($2,500)
1,406 |
Retention amount distributed
$3,515,000 |
| How many applied for both
474 |
Received Both Grants ($7,500)
114 |
Both amount distributed
$855,000 |
The table below illustrates the number of applications received for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act Program.
| Total applications received
3,053 |
Total awards distributed
1513 |
Total amount distributed
$5,000,000 |
| High-Needs apps received
372 |
Received High-Need Grant ($5,000)
189 |
High-Needs amount distributed
$945,000 |
| Retention applications received
2,177 |
Received Retention Grant ($2,500)
1175 |
Retention amount distributed
$2,937,500 |
| How many applied for both
504 |
Received Both Grants ($7,500)
149 |
Both amount distributed
$1,117,500 |