Improving Student Performance with Declining Resources
Funding Best Practices
- Look for big grants or combine several smaller ones and use the money for professional development
- Canvas the community in which the school/district exists and see who the stakeholders are. Approach them with the benefits for them if they support students now-might even do a little research to find out how many of the schools'/district's students work for these firms and pass the stats on.
- Invite the schools to access alumni groups for support.
- Start a non-profit to support the school/district.
- Get a sponsor for the sports fields-yes, it is putting up commercials-just be judicious in which companies are chosen.
- PTA's can sponsor auctions, fund-raisers, candy drives, etc.
- Forge a relationship with a local/state philanthropist who may have a stake in what you are trying to accomplish.
- Link up with a local/state college that is doing research and needs "students" and "stats"-explain about ways they can support you in your efforts and also benefit their college campus and student body.
- Get the stats from your state's Secretary of Labor as to what students of the future need to work in local/state companies. Design a brochure explaining all of this and inviting these companies to "invest" in their future by providing professional development.
- Go to local service groups (Chamber of Commerce, teacher's union, Elks, Masons, etc.) and invite them to sponsor a teacher to attend a training-transportation, lodging, fees, and food. The teacher can then return and do short presentation on what he/she learned and how it applies to that group.
- Check out this web site: http://www.ncte.org/about/grants/topic/107748.htm
- Searching out honor societies-science, etc. and finding sponsorship there.