Kinds of Financial Support Available

Downloads Page (all of our grant applications)

According to our understanding, professional staff development is focused on the educator, not on the students, and includes the following types of activities that enhance your knowledge base as well as your professional skills as an educator.  

A. Mini-Grants:

For CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT

Developing curriculum for use in the classroom
Developing innovative instructional strategies for use in the classroom
Developing assessment tools for use in the classroom
Analysis/evaluation of data relating to curriculum & program, instruction,  & assessment
Participating in a team that is developing curriculum or instructional strategies or  assessment tools/rubrics, a larger program, etc.
NOTE: we have awarded up to $1000 for salaries for team members and some funding for materials and supplies.

B. Study Groups:

We accept that the study groups would focus on a discipline area or be related to PDP and/or CDEP planning or some local problem-solving effort. A group book-study that required several sessions would be an acceptable study group project. (Stipend is $15 per hour; $20/hour for the facilitator.)

C. Conference Attendance Grants for Teachers:

We are going to ask you how this proposed conference attendance fits in with your personal professional development plan and how you plan to implement your learning in your classroom.

D. Train-the-Trainer Grants for Administrators:

In previous years, we have sent administrators out of town to national conferences to take training in cutting-edge issues that they can bring home to their districts for local implementation. Such conference attendance has proved valuable. We plan to continue this program item in FY 2003-04.

E. Speaker Support Grants:

We will ask you how the proposed speaker that you wish to bring to your school fits in with the academic initiatives implemented by your school district or agency. Maximum is $500.

F. Free and/or Reduced Cost Workshops in your School:

We plan to continue to offer free and/or reduced cost workshops in our member schools and to continue to give away resource books.

PLEASE NOTE: We are required to report to the State Education Department about HOW our staff development activities impact learning in your classroom or building. Be prepared to provide data on this question to us.