State issues first annual classroom grants
Oklahoma's top school official announced Wednesday the first disbursement of classroom grants funded through a program that allows individual and corporate taxpayers to donate a portion of a state tax refund.
A total of $ 70,000 has been awarded to 50 Oklahoma teachers through individual grants up to $5,000.
“As we reviewed nearly a hundred grant applications, we were excited to see many funding requests for collaborative learning," said state schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister. "We know from research that interactive classrooms foster student understanding and enable individualized instruction that meets kids where they are. This grant, funded by the generous donations of Oklahoma taxpayers, will directly benefit thousands of Oklahoma students.”
This is the first time the state Department of Education has administered the Public School Classroom Support Grants, which focus on supporting the needs of English learners, plus a subject area aligned with the state textbook adoption cycle. Awardees, who represented districts around the state, were determined on the basis of student instruction and potential student benefit.
Central High Public Schools teachers Brigit Minden and Melanie Snodgrass were awarded $ 1,901.60 for activity tables.
“We feel the tables will help our students think differently about how a math classroom can look and feel,” Minden said. “We want to encourage discussion and collaboration at all levels of math.”