Please read carefully to fully understand guidelines and expectations. Only grant requests for continuing education that supplement and align with the District’s Improvement Plan will be considered. Award Range: Up to $1500 for an individual teacher or educational paraprofessional. The Teacher Scholarship Grant is intended to provide funds to support educators in advancing their value to the district through training, certifications, and higher education. Opportunities may include, but are not limited to, state certifications and higher education tuition. This grant will not be awarded for training or continuing education toward completion of administrator’s or counselor’s coursework and/or certification. The number of grants funded will depend upon available funds and Krum ISD Education Foundation guidelines for the calendar year with a maximum of $5,000 per year. This is a reimbursement grant. Application Deadline: First Friday in February before 4:30 pm. Applicant Eligibility: • Grants are limited to Krum ISD Educators, (including educational paraprofessionals) who are currently employed in the District, have taught a minimum of two (2) consecutive years in the District and who are pursuing additional education in the teaching profession. • Applicants must have demonstrated the following: outstanding teaching ability; participation in school and community organizations and activities; and, leadership ability. • Grant funds will only be awarded for learning programs that directly benefit academic instruction. Recipient Requirements: • Recipients must adhere to all District financial guidelines and policies. • If the grant application is approved, any change to the budget amount approved or expenditure for items other than those requested must be submitted to the Foundation Programs and Allocations Committee for consideration. Reporting Requirements (if not met, future eligibility may be jeopardized): • Recipients must present the project to their own Campus during the implementation year. • Recipients must also make a presentation (project, progress, outcomes) to the Foundation. This presentation may be at a Board meeting, a Committee meeting, or a campus visit by Board and/or Committee members. Additional Requirements: • The teacher scholarship grant proposal must contain the required grant application and two reference letters from individuals who are not related to the applicant. It is recommended that these reference letters are completed by a team leader, department head, etc. and contain education-focused observations of the applicant’s knowledge, education experience, etc. The reference letter author and applicant should have a recent working relationship, i.e. within five years of the application date. The relationship between the reference letter author and the applicant should be clearly specified in the content of each reference letter. • The applicant is also required to submit a brief essay on why s/he is pursuing these particular course(s) and why the Foundation should assist s/he in funding. • One confidential evaluation must be completed on behalf of the applicant. This evaluation must be completed by the applicant’s supervisor (e.g. campus principal) or other Campus/District administrator. Project Eligibility: • All proposed teacher scholarship grants must address needs, challenges, and concerns to enhance the learning experience. Grant proposals will be judged based on potential impact to classroom instruction. • The identified coursework must complement the District Mission and its Improvement Plan and be aligned with the District’s curriculum goals. • The grant coursework must have a designated time frame for completion and must have a measurable outcome (e.g. certificate of completion). • Funds may not replace normal funding from tax-based sources. • Grants may cover travel, consulting fees/honorariums, etc., but expenses must also be justifiable. Notification of Recipients and Payment: Recipients will be notified prior to the end of the school year. If awarded, the grant check will be written to the awardee upon successful completion of the course/learning experience and proper documentation (recipients). Length of Project: The award is available to be funded for twelve (12) months. Any unexpended funds will revert to the Krum ISD Education Foundation at the conclusion of the twelve (12) month period. Application Requirements: To be considered for funding, the application must: • Be grammatically correct and free of spelling errors. • Be complete (all sections). • Be free of any identifying information (i.e. applicant or school names) other than on the cover page. • Describe the expected outcome of the coursework (e.g. certificate of completion). • Be in compliance and approved by assistant superintendent or designee. Application Review Process: • Proposals shall be competitively reviewed by the Programs and Allocations Committee. • Projects will be judged based on their potential to positively impact instruction and academic achievement. • All proposals will be subject to a blind review relative to the applicant. • Before review by the Foundation, the assistant superintendent or designee will evaluate projects for compliance with the District’s Improvement Plan. The review is not for selection of recipients.