Supporting Public School Teachers

The Foundation recently launched a Public School Teachers program, which will aim to: support teachers’ needs inside the classroom, providing financial support for materials, resources, field trips, and other hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that they otherwise would pay for out-of-pocket; celebrate teachers through an unrestricted award at a critical moment in their career trajectories; and allow teachers to pursue experiences in the world that bolster their curiosity and passion.

Direct-to-teacher support is an underfunded space, and the Foundation aims to approach funding teachers in a way that promotes their innovation, creativity, passion, and hands-on learning. This program will support preK-12 public school teachers across the country.

Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation believes in the potential of individuals and directly supporting them at catalytic moments in their careers. Specifically, we recognize the value in appreciating teachers for their work and in providing resources that support their vision for positive change and innovation in their classrooms and in the world beyond.

Currently, lack of support and development are driving teachers out of the profession. In fact, more than half of U.S. teachers do not feel adequately supported. Teachers feel underappreciated, and the needs of a 3.5-million-person workforce are generally not being met.

The Foundation will support teachers directly, providing them with the resources and materials they need to boost morale, alleviate burnout, and allow them to thrive in their classrooms.

Alongside renewed grantee Philanthropic Ventures Foundation and new grants to Bay Area community education foundations focused on direct-to-teacher support, the Foundation has awarded two new and significant grants that will bolster our support for teachers and uplift the teaching profession as a whole:

DonorsChoose: On April 10, the Foundation launched a $1 million match with DonorsChoose to support K-12 classroom projects across U.S. rural and low-income K-12 schools. With 1:1 matching from public donations, Foundation funds are part of the $2 million in total funding to support over 3,200 teacher projects.

DonorsChoose’s mission is to make it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need and move us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education. Most teachers on the DonorsChoose platform are from high-need schools: Roughly 65% of total projects come from equity-focused schools and roughly 80% of total projects come from majority low-income schools.

Rural schools specifically make up one third of U.S. schools, yet many are high-need, lacking in necessary resources. By focusing support for teachers in both low-income and rural schools, the Foundation aims to fund basic classroom supplies as well as drive innovative learning opportunities within these classrooms. Projects funded have included requests such as books for classroom libraries, healthy food for students, caps and gowns for graduation as well as laboratory resources for an AP Biology class to deliver hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): National Teacher of the Year Program

CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program is the oldest, most prestigious teacher recognition program in the country. Each year, CCSSO provides a new cohort of State Teachers of the Year with a yearlong, one-of-a-kind professional learning and development experience. State teachers identified for excellence in teaching and a commitment to the profession are eligible for recognition as the National Teacher of the Year. This Program is designed to increase each inspiring educator’s teacher leadership skills while celebrating their talents and commitment as extraordinary teachers.

Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation has added an unrestricted financial award to this recognition to further honor and support teachers, providing each State Teacher of the Year with $10,000. This program commitment has been made for three years.

The Foundation believes that education plays a key role in helping people to fulfill their potential for success in all domains of life. Talented and dedicated teachers provide encouragement, recognize ability and difference, and challenge and nurture their students. As a part of our Public School Teachers program, we hope that when teachers are celebrated, their curiosity, passion and purpose is catalyzed, ultimately impacting their classrooms.