How Arizona teachers can get $1,000 for classroom projects

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – The Arizona Department of Education launched a partnership to put money in teachers’ hands for classroom projects. The money -- $14 million – is from federal COVID-19 relief funding and is available to K-12 teachers in Arizona’s public district and charter schools. Teachers can apply for up to $1,000 through DonorsChoose. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until all the money is awarded.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman joined “Good Morning Arizona” Tuesday to launch the program. “Today is probably one of the biggest, most exciting announcements that I’ve ever had the privilege to make,” she said with a huge smile. “We know that our teachers have been working incredibly hard, especially over the last couple of years throughout the pandemic. We know they have creative, innovative ways to support their students, and so this is our way of saying, ‘Thank you’ to Arizona teachers.”

Teachers who are interested will need to create a free account with DonorsChoose, which is a nonprofit crowdfunding website. The campaign code they need to use is ARIZONA. Hoffman said the process is straightforward.

↗ azed.gov/teachergrants

“I think our teachers will be really creative and even go beyond curriculum,” Hoffman said. Projects she suggested included creating a class garden or starting a book club. The money also can be used to buy technology or art supplies. “This [money] is really to take [lessons] a step further, past just the general curriculum to come up with really creative, innovative projects to support student learning.”

The funding is limited to one project per teacher.

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