Illinois Agricultural Education

*This message is sent to all Illinois school superintendents, principals, ag teachers, CTE coordinators/directors and grant administrators at schools with a current Agricultural Education program. We realize how intents are completed and funds are managed falls upon different individuals in each district. Please help us pass this along to those who need to be informed. If your district is not eligible to receive the grants, please disregard this message. 

FY27 ISBE Ag Education Grants: Intents to Apply Due April 30

With guidance from Jason Mott, Illinois State Board of Education Agricultural Education Principal Consultant, I would like to share the Intent to Apply for and the Quality Indicator Survey for the Incentive Funding Grant and the Teacher Three Circles Grant are now open. The deadline for both intents is Thursday, April 30, 2026 the end of the day (11:59 p.m.).

If you need assistance, reach out to your FCAE Program Advisor. Our team is

happy to assist. 

For more information visit the Illinois State Board of Education CTE Pathways webpage and select the Agricultural, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) button.

Agricultural Education Incentive Funding Grant: 

The purpose of this grant is to incentivize achievement while supporting local programs.

Funds from this program should not supplant local resources. The Quality Indicator

questionnaire must be completed by the deadline in order for funds to be allocated to

your teacher. Failure to accurately complete this form by the deadline may result in a

loss of funding in fiscal year 2027. 

The intent applications are completed at the link below, not in IWAS. The budgets

will be completed in IWAS after allocations have been uploaded based on the

information gained from the intents. Districts will be notified when allocations have been

made.

STEP 1: Complete the Quality Indicator.

The Quality Indicator questionnaire can be found at this link.

Teacher Three Circles Grant

The purpose of this grant is to support personal service costs of teachers’s time spent

outside the regularly scheduled teaching duties. The intent must be completed by the

deadline in order for funds to be allocated to your teacher. If a teacher has not yet been

hired or if you are in contract negotiations, please use your best estimation and

remember that funds can be returned, but no additional funds can be added to your

allocation if your estimation is too low. Failure to accurately complete this form by the

deadline may result in a loss of funding in fiscal year 2027. 

The intent applications are completed at the link below, not in IWAS. The budgets

will be completed in IWAS after allocations have been uploaded based on the

information gained from the intents. Districts will be notified when allocations have been

made.

STEP 1: Determine the allocation needed from ISBE.

Download and complete Three Circle Grant Allocation Worksheet (Excel) for each

teacher applying for the grant. You will utilize the numbers from this document on

the intent. Be sure to save the document(s) to utilize when the budget allocations are

released into IWAS after the initial sign up period. 

STEP 2: Complete the Three Circle Grant Intent to Apply Form.

Schools with multiple teachers will be able to complete applications for all teachers on

this form.