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2026-27 Ag CTE Incentive Grant Instructions

Instructions for the 2026-27 Agricultural (Ag) Career Technical Education (CTE) Incentive Grant.

Due Date

Must be received in the Regional Supervisor's office by July 15, 2026, via email or hard copy sent through United States Postal Service (USPS).

Background

The purpose of the Agricultural Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (ACTEIG) is to improve the quality of Agricultural Education programs by providing grantees with funding to purchase or lease agricultural career technical education equipment. (EC 52460.) Agricultural Career Technical Education Equipment is defined as “any non-salary item of expenditure, including, but not limited to, capital outlay, for approved agricultural career technical education programs.” (EC 52461.5.)

School districts operating approved Agricultural Career Technical Education programs in grades 7-12 may apply. An application is required from each school site for which funds are requested. For the purposes of the ACTEIG application, regional occupational centers and programs are not considered to be school districts. There are two versions of the application: one version is for combined high school and middle school programs and the other version is for middle school programs (7th and 8th grades only).

Calculation Explanations

Awards will be calculated as follows:

Part A Funding: To qualify for the ACTEIG, a school district must meet all criteria listed in Part A. Programs meeting all criteria are eligible to receive the base funding.

Part B Funding: Funding is based on the school district’s ability to meet specific criteria. A school district must meet all criteria in each category to be eligible to receive the additional funding for that category. Verification of meeting specific criteria will be taken from entries in the Agriculture Experience Tracker (AET).

Preparation of ACTEIG Application

  1. School Site

    The name of the school where the applying program is located.

  2. District

    The complete name of the district in which the school site is located.

  3. Certification
    1. Signature of Authorized Agent: The signature of the District Superintendent or other authorized agent certifying the district’s intent to abide by and comply with the terms and conditions of the ACTEIG, the General Assurances and Certifications 2026 – 2027, and the General Assurances and Certifications included in the ACTEIG Application.
    2. Authorized Agent Title: The title of the individual signing as the authorized agent.
    3. Signature of Agriculture Teacher Responsible for the Program: The signature of the department chair or lead teacher of the Agriculture Education Program requesting the funds.
    4. Signature of Principal: The signature of the principal of the applicant school.
    5. Contact Phone Number: The cell phone number of the agriculture teacher responsible for managing the grant.
    6. Date of School District Board Approval: The date the application was approved or will be approved by the school board.
    7. Agriculture Teachers: List of the teachers who taught at least one pathway course in agriculture during the 2025-26 school year at the school site requesting funds.

  4. Part A – Base Level Funding

    To qualify for the Agriculture Career Technical Education Incentive Grant, a school district must meet the following criteria or provide a Variance Request for each criterion not met, which must be approved by the Regional Supervisor. All evidence must be submitted with the original application.

    1. Properly Credentialed Teachers:
      Log on to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing External link opens in new window or tab. and provide a printout of credentials or a copy of current credentials. (2026 - Required for teachers who were hired during the 2025-26 school year.)
    2. Professional Development:
      Provide printout from teacher journal in Agriculture Experience Tracker (AET) verifying professional development activities. Each teacher (with 50% of their teaching assignment in agriculture) must have participated in six state-approved professional development activities during the 2025-26 school year.    (2026 - Required)
    3. Course Sequence:
      Provide evidence of at least one two-year agriculture course pathway.
      (2026 - Only required for NEW pathways that were taught in 2025-26 or if changes have been made to your existing pathways.)
    4. Alternative Credits:
      Submit description of at least one agriculture course meeting A-G, Dual Enrollment, Articulation, etc.
      (2026 - Nothing required unless there were changes in 2025-26.)
    5. Grading of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Supervised Agricultural Experience Participation (SAE):
      Provide a copy of each course syllabus identifying the grading policy for FFA and SAE. (2026 - Only required for NEW courses that were taught in 2025-26 or if changes have been made to your department policies.)
    6. Future Farmers of America (FFA) Constitution & By-Laws:
      Provide a copy of the current FFA Chapter Constitution & Bylaws with the language relating to the election of officers highlighted.
      (2026 - Nothing required unless there were changes in 2025-26.)
    7. Future Farmers of America (FFA) Meetings:
      Use meeting manager in AET or provide minutes for a minimum of six chapter meetings held during the 2025-26 school year.   (2026 - Required)
    8. Graduate Exit Survey:
      Have completed graduate exit surveys submitted in AET.
      (2026- Required for all 2026 graduates)
    9. Agriculture Advisory Committee:
      Provide a roster of the 2025-26 committee members with their roles and contact information.  (Note: Ag teachers and administrators are ex officio/non-voting members of the Advisory Committee.)   (2026 – Required)
      Provide minutes for two local Agriculture Advisory Committee meetings held during the 2025-26 school year. (Note: District- wide CTE, Academy, and/or ROP committees will not be accepted.)  (2026 - Required)

Roster & minutes templates are available at the California Agrculture Education External link opens in new window or tab. website.

Additional Part A Funding Metrics Include:

  • Number of Teachers: Enter the number of teachers (with at least 50% of their teaching assignment in agriculture) for 2025-26.
  • Number of Students: Enter the number of students from your FFA membership roster for 2025–26.
  • Class Size Level A: (Note: applies to Agriculture Teachers with at least 50% of their teaching assignment in agriculture). Using the 2025–26 ACTEIG Report in AET, list the number of teachers who met class size level A in all courses.
  • Class Size Level B: (Note: applies to Agriculture Teachers with at least 50% of their teaching assignment in agriculture). Using the 2025–26 ACTEIG Report in AET, list the number of teachers who met class size level B in all courses.
  • SAE Periods: Enter the number of teachers receiving SAE periods in 2025-26 (Note: funding will only be granted if the period is provided in addition to the regular preparatory period provided to all teachers; no students can be assigned to this period.)
  • Extended Contracts: Enter the number of teachers receiving Extended Contracts in 2025-26 (Note: funding will only be granted if the extended contract provided is at least $2,000 per teacher)
  1. Part B - Additional Funding
    1. Professional Development: Each teacher (with at least 50 percent of their teaching assignment in agriculture) must have participated in eight state- approved professional development activities. This will be verified by the evidence provided for Base Funding Requirement #2.
    2. Classroom Section: Using the 2025–26 ACTEIG Report in the AET, enter the total percentage earned for each qualifier. If the applicant meets or exceeds the minimum percentage in all required areas, they qualify for the additional funds.
    3. Leadership Development (FFA) Section: Using the 2025–26 ACTEIG Report in the AET, enter the total percentage earned for each qualifier. If the program meets or exceeds the minimum percentage in all required areas, they qualify for the additional funds.
    4. Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) Section: Using the 2025–26 ACTEIG Report in the AET, enter the total percentage earned for each qualifier. If the program meets or exceeds the minimum percentage in all required areas, they qualify for the additional funds.
  2. Funding Summary
    1. Place the funds qualified for under Part A and Part B from the application in the space provided
    2. Add the funding for Part A and Part B for the Grand Total Funding.
  3. Budget and Expenditure Reports
    1. Category 4000: Enter under budget column A the total funds estimated to be spent on books and/or supplies with Incentive Grant funds.
    2. Category 4000: Enter under budget match column B the total funds estimated to be used as a match other than Incentive Grant funds.
    3. Category 5000: Enter under description the travel, transportation, etc. estimated for the Agriculture Education Department. A separate line should be used for each activity/event.
    4. Category 5000: Enter under budget column A for each row the estimated funds to be spent on that activity/event using Incentive Grant funds.
    5. Category 5000: Enter under budget match column B for each row the estimated funds to be used as a match other than Incentive Grant funds.
    6. Category 6000: Enter under description the equipment estimated to be purchased. List each item of equipment on each row.
    7. Category 6000: Enter under budget column A for each row the estimated funds to be spent on that item using Incentive Grant funds.
    8. Category 6000: Enter under budget match column B for each row the estimated funds to be used as a match other than ACTEIG funds.

Variance Request Form (if applicable)

Submit a Variance Request Form for each criterion which was not checked in Part A as being met. A variance is a proposed plan to bring your program into compliance with the given criteria’s requirements prior to the ensuing year's application.

The CDE may grant a variance for good cause, which as a general rule includes reasons that are fair, honest, in good faith; not trivial, arbitrary, capricious, or pretextual; and reasonably related to legitimate needs, goals, and purposes. The CDE will make its determination on a case-by-case basis, considering all facts and circumstances.

General Assurances & Certifications

The signature of the District Superintendent or authorized agent on the application acknowledges and certifies the district’s intent to abide by and follow the below certifications and assurances:

  1. General Assurances and Certifications 2026-27 web page.
  2. The school district certifies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the grant funds received and the matching funds contributed by the district shall be used solely for the purpose of purchasing or leasing equipment for use in agricultural career technical education programs. [EC 52461(b)]
  3. The school district certifies and assures that the ACTEIG grant funds will be used to supplement, not supplant, the school district’s ongoing expenditures for the Agricultural Career Technical Education Program.

*Regional Supervisors may seek additional documentation to validate the application.

Questions:   Agriculture Education & Family and Consumer Sciences Office | AgEd.FFA@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Friday, June 19, 2026
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