OFE News Release

Deadline for Fund for Teachers Grants Tuesday, Jan. 16

January 9, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma teachers have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, to submit their applications for the Fund for Teachers-Oklahoma grants for summer professional development opportunities. Applications are available online at www.fundforteachers.org.

Grants of up to $5,000 for individuals and $7,500 for teams are available to teachers from Oklahoma public, private, parochial and charter schools to provide self-designed summer professional development experiences. The grants are sponsored by the National Fund for Teachers, the Tulsa Community Foundation and the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.

Last year, Oklahoma was the first state in the nation to offer Fund for Teacher grants to teachers statewide, providing 165 Oklahoma educators with opportunities to travel or attend teacher institutes or conferences. Their educational expeditions took teachers to such places as New Zealand, China and Greece, providing life-changing experiences and infusing their classrooms with new ideas and experiences.

Fund for Teachers grants are open to all pre-K through 12th grade teachers who have three years of teaching experience, are full-time employees and spend at least 50 percent of their time in a classroom setting. In addition, applicants must have the intention of returning to their school and/or district following their summer professional development. Applicants will be selected based on each proposal’s merit—the potential for teacher growth and rejuvenation, as well as student, classroom and school impact.

For more information, visit the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Web site at www.ofe.org or contact Dayna Rowe by e-mail at drowe@ofe.org or phone at 405-236-0006.