Crowdfunding
Budget & Finance
Teachers Take to Twitter to Crowdfund Classroom Supplies
Teacher wish lists posted under the hashtags #Clearthelists and #Adoptateacher are trending on Twitter.
Budget & Finance
Teachers Use Crowdsourcing for Education Triage, Not Extras
A study finds a mismatch between the basic classroom requests teachers increasingly make on DonorsChoose and the projects that get funded.
Teaching Profession
What Do Teachers Need? Nearly 2 Million DonorsChoose Requests Shed Some Light
A new analysis by Grantmakers for Education shows that online crowdfunding requests are on the rise, and the fastest-growing category is for students' basic needs.
Assessment
Briefly Stated
Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have Missed
A breakdown of high-profile news stories you may have missed during the week.
Education
DonorsChoose: It's Not Just For Teachers Anymore
The new effort is intended to make what's generally been a scattershot, teacher-by-teacher effort into something districts can support in a more coordinated manner and possibly prevent some districts from banning the practice.
Teaching
Opinion
Response: Show Me the Money! Ways Teachers Can Raise Funds for Their Classrooms
Suggestions on how teachers can raise private monies to support their classroom are offered by Alfonso Gonzalez, Holly Spinelli, Susan Lafond, Amanda Koonlaba, and Barbara Gottschalk.
Budget & Finance
From Our Research Center
How Do Teachers Fund Their Classrooms? 6 Takeaways
Most teachers say they expect to contribute resources to their classrooms, but teachers aren’t only putting up the cash themselves. In addition to old standbys like grants and bake sales, many are turning to other fundraising opportunities, including online crowdfunding platforms like DonorsChoose.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Teachers Riled By Ban on DonorsChoose
Districts say it can be hard to monitor whether the donated materials from crowdfunding site DonorsChoose align with standards and cite concerns that the process makes it difficult to track how money is distributed among schools.
Education
News in Brief
Tennessee School District Prohibits Crowdfunding for Class Supplies
A school district in Tennessee says it no longer wants teachers to use crowdfunding websites to get extra school supplies.
School & District Management
Teachers Are Fired Up About District Bans on DonorsChoose
The news that some districts have banned teachers from using DonorsChoose has drawn a wave of reactions from teachers, administrators, and other readers.
Budget & Finance
School Districts Are Banning Teachers From Using DonorsChoose
As teacher-led crowdfunding grows ever more popular, school leaders are starting to voice concerns.
Education
Opinion
Straight Up Conversation: DonorsChoose.org CEO Charles Best
I recently talked with Charles Best about DonorsChoose.org. Using the website, teachers in 80 percent of American public schools have collectively raised $760 million to fund 1.2 million different classroom projects. Charles explains how the program works and what the future holds.
Teaching Profession
Study: Teachers Use Crowdfunding Sites to Make Up for Budget Shortfalls
New research from Texas State University offers a closer look at what factors lead a teacher to list a project—and how educators may be shifting their instructional priorities to become more marketable on the platform.
Education Funding
Craigslist Founder Donates $1 Million to Fund STEM Projects on Donors Choose
The money will fund projects at schools where more than half of the students come from low-income households, and $100,000 is reserved specifically for projects providing science and technology opportunities for girls.