Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development
| 2008 applications are now available. The deadline for applications for the Audre’ L. Henry Scholarship for Special Education Teachers statwide and the Boeing Math and Science Scholarships for teachers in the greater Oklahoma City area has been extended until November 21, 2007. |
Our Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development are designed to enhance educational opportunities for students by allowing teachers to attend top-quality regional, national and international workshops and institutes in their chosen fields. The scholarships help cover the costs of tuition, travel, lodging and the expense of hiring substitute teachers.
“Researchers have found that teacher ability is a stronger determinant of student achievement than the student’s economic standing, race or parents’ educational attainment,” said Emily Stratton, executive director of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. “Providing quality professional development opportunities to Oklahoma’s teachers is critical to the success of Oklahoma’s students.”
Scholarships are awarded each December for conferences and workshops scheduled the following spring and summer. Recipients are selected by a committee composed of Medal for Excellence award-winning educators.
Applicants must currently be employed as an elementary or secondary teacher in an Oklahoma public school. They must also have at least two years of teaching experience in Oklahoma prior to the conference or meeting for which the scholarship will be used. Each application requires a statement of support from the applicant’s principal or superintendent.
Teachers may apply for scholarships in one of the following categories:
Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development are made possible through support from the Boeing Co. of Oklahoma City, the Community Foundation of Ardmore, the Kenneth and Juliette Woodward estate, and contributors to the Audre’ L. Henry Scholarship Fund. Scholarships in the Tulsa area have been funded by several private foundations.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence also has launched a Memorial and Honorary Gifts Program benefiting its Teacher Scholarship Fund.
For more information on Teacher Scholarships for Professional Development, contact the Foundation office at (405) 236-0006 or e-mail bwheelock@ofe.org.