Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

AASA, DonorsChoose.org Launch Digital Toolkit to Help Teachers, School Leaders Access National Network of Classroom Supporters

  • 09/04/18

Alexandria, Va. ­– Classrooms are designed to create an oasis of learning for the more than 50 million students heading back to public school buildings. Shrinking budgets, however, are causing more and more teachers to pay for school supplies out of their own pockets. 

In response to the growing need to support classrooms across the country, especially those in low-income areas, AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and DonorsChoose.org are pleased to release today a user-friendly, digital pathway designed to help teachers and school district leaders tap into much-needed funding to enhance their schools, and enhance teaching and learning excellence in their communities.

The Back-to-School Crowding Toolkit provides a guide for school district leaders on how they can support their teachers’ needs, advance their district priorities and access a national network of education philanthropists through DonorsChoose.org.

DonorsChoose.org is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that has raised more than $725 million for public schools nationwide. Support has come from more than 3 million individual donors, companies and foundations, which has enabled DonorsChoose.org to send classroom materials—not cash—to teachers while, at the same time, providing unparalleled transparency and accountability to donors and administrators.

“District leaders know better than almost anyone that school system budgets rarely cover everything a school needs,” said Charles Best, founder & CEO, DonorsChoose.org. “Our platform is a force for equity, expanding support for district schools beyond the local community. We are excited to partner with AASA to help our nation’s public school systems thrive in the coming year.”

“Superintendents often say they ‘can’t do it alone.’ Nor can school buildings,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “Online crowdfunding makes it possible for teachers to generate donations beyond their local communities. We are encouraged that 75 percent of the funding raised by DonorsChoose.org goes to schools where half or more of the students are from low-income households.”   

How it works: 

  • Teachers at verified schools request specific items. 
  • DonorsChoose.org vets each project that teachers post. 
  • Donors and foundations contribute to these requests. 
  • DonorsChoose.org orders the items and ships them to the school. 
  • DonorsChoose.org notifies the school in advance of every shipment. 

About DonorsChoose.org

Founded in 2000 by a Bronx history teacher, DonorsChoose.org has raised over $700 million for America's classrooms. Teachers come to DonorsChoose.org to request the materials and experiences they need most for their classrooms, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. To date, 3.3 million people and partners have funded 1.2 million projects on the site, reaching 29 million students and making DonorsChoose.org the leading platform for supporting U.S. public schools. For more information, visit www.donorschoose.org.

 

Featured

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched the 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which collects data on the previous year’s K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.