Today CoSN and DonorsChoose.org unveiled a new toolkit, designed to support school system technology leaders in leveraging best practices around crowdfunding. The goal is to help teachers bring digital resources aligned with district technology policies into their classrooms.
 
The toolkit provides guidance on how school district technology leaders can access the national network of philanthropists available through DonorsChoose.org to support public school classrooms. Technology is one of the most requested resources on DonorsChoose.org’s platform, and according to CoSN’s Infrastructure Survey, technology is one of the most urgent expenditures in school districts nationwide.
 
“CoSN is pleased to work with DonorsChoose.org on the creation of this valuable toolkit. Through this partnership, district technology leaders will be able to identify how crowdsourced fundraising can tie to the priorities of the school system,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. “Our hope is that CoSN members will utilize this toolkit to acquire the technology tools needed in their districts to advance learning and teaching.”
 
The toolkit details DonorsChoose.org policies and frequently asked questions – with an emphasis on controls for district technology leaders – shares case studies of how the site has supported school systems and equips staff with training materials. The toolkit also describes the DonorsChoose.org process:
 
  • Educators at verified schools request specific materials.
  • DonorsChoose.org vets every single project that is posted.
  • Donors, companies and foundations contribute to these requests.
  • DonorsChoose.org orders the items and ships them to the school.
  • Schools are notified in advance of every shipment.
                                                             
When a project request is funded, DonorsChoose.org purchases the teacher’s requested items and has them shipped directly to the classroom, to ensure transparency and accountability for donors and district leaders, and to simplify the process for teachers.
 
To verify that all digital resources requested are compatible with school district priorities and IT systems, district leaders are able to embed their ed-tech policies within the platform, by filling out this simple form. Once a district’s policy is uploaded to the system, teachers who wish to request technology items through DonorsChoose.org are able to view the recommendations and guidelines from their school district.
 
 
“Every classroom in America should have access to the cutting-edge technology that will help prepare students for 21st century careers and opportunities,” said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. “We so appreciate the chance to work with CoSN and school IT leaders across the country to ensure teachers have access to the critical technology they need in ways that fit seamlessly into the digital infrastructure of their districts.”
 
CONTACT     
For CoSN: Michael Kaplun, The Fratelli Group, 202-822-9491, mkaplun@fratelli.com
For DonorsChoose:  Chris Pearsall,  media@donorschoose.org
 
To learn more about the CoSN and DonorsChoose.org new toolkit, please visit here.
 
About CoSN
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org
 
About DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org is the leading platform for giving to public schools. Teachers across America use the site to create projects requesting resources their students need, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. Since its founding by a Bronx teacher in 2000, more than 3.6 million people and partners have given nearly $800 million to projects reaching 33 million students. Unique among education funding platforms, the DonorsChoose.org team vets each project request and ships resources directly to the school. Every donor receives photos of their project in action, thank-yous from the classroom, and a cost report showing how every dollar was spent.