‘Teach for California’ Media Campaign Launches to Inspire Careers in the Classroom, Promote New Student Teacher Stipend Program

The next time you are browsing online, watching a show, or listening to a podcast, you might catch messaging from “Teach for California,” a newly launched multimedia campaign designed to inform and inspire the next generation of educators across the Golden State.

“Teach for California” along with the $10,000 Student Teacher Stipend Program and a new grants management system are among several initiatives established through a 2025-26 state budget trailer bill directing the Commission to support efforts to strengthen the educator workforce.

The successful launch of these projects on July 1, 2026, is the result of dedicated partnerships between the Commission, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Linean technology firm, and Mediasol creative agency.

“These efforts build on a decade of sustained state investments to address the teacher shortage in California. The collaboration between Commission staff and our public and private partners represents the kind of teamwork that is necessary to move projects forward around a shared mission of strengthening the educator pipeline across California,” said Commission Executive Director Mary Vixie Sandy.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California has directed more than $2.1 billion over the last 10 years toward improving affordability and access to teacher preparation programs, increasing teacher supply, and incentivizing skilled teachers to work in high-need schools.

Student Teacher Stipend Program and Grants Management System

The Student Teacher Stipend Program is prominently featured in the “Teach for California” multimedia campaign as the state’s latest incentive to support those entering the teaching profession.

The stipend aims to ease the financial burden of becoming a teacher by providing $10,000 to eligible prospective educators for their required student teaching that until now has been unpaid.

“The extra support provided by the stipend could be the difference between a student teacher taking on an additional and distracting part time job that will stretch them too thin and that student teacher having the time to fully engage in all of the learning and growth opportunities available during their clinical experience. This is an investment in future teachers that will pay off on day one,” said Interim Faculty Director Pia Wong, Innovation Center for Early Childhood Education at Sacramento State.

The online application for the Student Teacher Stipend Program is available to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and local education agencies (LEAs) through the new grants management system developed to streamline the process for all Commission-administered teacher recruitment and retention grant programs.

The 2025-26 budget provides $300 million one-time Proposition 98 funds for the Student Teacher Stipend Program.  As such, only LEAs may receive grant funds from the Commission to distribute to eligible student teachers.

To do so, IHEs and LEAs submit applications on behalf of student teachers. Once an application is approved, the Commission will distribute grant funds to the LEA. The LEA will then pay a credential candidate during the school year of their student teaching. A total of $100 million of the funding is available for the 2026-27 academic year on a first-come, first-served basis.

“The Student Teacher Stipend Program is an opportunity for California’s education community to act with common purpose on behalf of students, aspiring teachers, and the future of the profession. Together, through intentional partnership and coordinated implementation, we can reduce barriers to entry, support aspiring educators, and strengthen California’s educator workforce for the students and communities we serve,” said Commission Chair Marquita Grenot-Scheyer.

For detailed information, webinars, and FAQs, visit the Student Teacher Stipend Program webpage.

Teach for California

For the next two years, “Teach for California” television, digital, social, and streaming advertising will encourage a diverse audience of college students and those in education-related fields to become a credentialed teacher.

Through short videos, authentic storytelling, and photography, California educators share what led them to the teaching profession and why they choose to stay.

A key component of the campaign is a dedicated Teach for CA website that provides a centralized hub for aspiring educator resources and financial aid information. The campaign branding and messaging is incorporated throughout the site that includes financial aid resources, direct links to official Commission credentialing information, along with profiles of diverse teachers across the state.

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