Empowering &
Elevating Educators
Empowered educators strengthen communities
Education foundations engage local partners and raise significant funds annually to help teachers through grants, recognition programs and other resources, fostering better student outcomes that strengthen communities throughout Florida.
Approximately 30% of local education foundations support teacher-focused programs, including free resource stores operated by 24 education foundations that collectively distribute more than $16 million in school supplies annually.
30%
Approximately 30% of local education foundations support teacher-focused programs.
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Recruiting and retaining great teachers is an increasing challenge for school districts across the nation and in Florida. As state and local leaders think strategically about the future of our teacher workforce, we believe local education foundations have a role to play.
Coast to Coast Impact Stories
Reimagining the Role of Teachers to Retain Talent and Improve Student Learning
A group of national and regional funders believe it is time to transform the teaching profession beyond the “one teacher, one classroom” model that fails to meet the needs of many students and can lead to burnout for educators.
Inspired and informed by an Education First Landscape Scan, a teacher workforce funder collaborative has been meeting regularly the past few years to develop a shared understanding of the issue and learn about bright spots in transforming the teaching profession around the country.
In Florida, the Gates Foundation has partnered with the Consortium to support education foundations in Brevard, Broward, Collier, Duval, Leon, and Indian River with research grants that encourage fresh approaches to maximize the impact of teachers in school districts. Projects range from integration of AI-driven tools in classroom instruction and teacher collaboration to researching root causes of attrition among early-career teachers and a complete school redesign.
Teacher Recognition and Celebration
Local education foundations often host their school district’s Teacher of the Year celebration, offering the community an opportunity to recognize top teachers, but the investment into educators doesn’t stop there.
Columbia County teachers receive free school supplies from the Columbia County Education Foundation’s “Educator’s Emporium”.
Teacher Resource Stores
It’s estimated that teachers in the United States spend more than $600 annually out of their personal budget on school supplies. Believing that teachers should not have to come out-of-pocket on classroom materials and supplies, education foundations operate free teacher resource stores, giving away free school supplies to teachers in their community through partnerships with the Kids in Need Foundation, local individuals, civic groups, and businesses.
Free resource stores can also serve as “second responders” during a crisis. In fact, the Education Fund of Miami-Dade started Florida’s first teacher resource store in 1992 when schools were devastated by Hurricane Andrew. With each subsequent hurricane or other disaster that impacts school communities, resource stores are positioned to quickly help classrooms, replacing lost materials such as paper, books, and art supplies.
Columbia County teachers receive free school supplies from the Columbia County Education Foundation’s “Educator’s Emporium”.
Teacher Resource Stores
It’s estimated that teachers in the United States spend more than $600 annually out of their personal budget on school supplies. Believing that teachers should not have to come out-of-pocket on classroom materials and supplies, education foundations operate free teacher resource stores, giving away free school supplies to teachers in their community through partnerships with the Kids in Need Foundation, local individuals, civic groups, and businesses.
Free resource stores can also serve as “second responders” during a crisis. In fact, the Education Fund of Miami-Dade started Florida’s first teacher resource store in 1992 when schools were devastated by Hurricane Andrew. With each subsequent hurricane or other disaster that impacts school communities, resource stores are positioned to quickly help classrooms, replacing lost materials such as paper, books, and art supplies.
Teacher Leadership and Development
For years, numerous education foundations in Florida have been supporting mentoring programs for new teachers as well as other initiatives aimed at fostering teacher leadership for various purposes.
A staple of these teacher leadership and development programs is the elevation of teacher voices beyond their classroom walls, and giving them opportunities to connect and collaborate with teachers throughout their community.
Coast to Coast Impact Stories
Teacher Professional Development
As local education foundations consider where private investments can have the greatest impact on public education, many have turned to teacher leadership initiatives as a retention and development strategy with the belief that when teachers grow, students achieve.
The Education Foundation of Alachua County learned from peers in Duval, Polk, and Brevard about the power of gathering teacher leaders together for professional development. Now, they host teacher-led round tables and support a Teacher Leadership Council.
Peer-to-Peer Learning
The Consortium-facilitated Florida Power & Light Company EmPOWERing STEM Educators gives teachers the opportunity to learn from their peers and form supportive professional relationships.
In addition to improving STEM instructional strategies, the program is proving to be an effective teacher retention strategy. Of the 160 teachers impacted in 12 school districts during the 2023-24 school year, more than 85% reported they were more likely to remain in their school district as a teacher or administrator.
