WASHINGTON - The National Education Association has awarded $2.1 million in grants to 8 state and local affiliates from its Great Public Schools (GPS) Fund grants program. GPS Fund grants are designed to help enhance the education profession and promote student success. NEA members established the GPS Fund in 2013.
“When you invest in educators, you invest in great public schools for all students,” said NEA Vice President Becky Pringle. “GPS Fund grants provide our members with the resources they need to advance programs that engage new and early career educators, promote racial justice in education, and build systems of professional supports to strengthen educator practice and student learning.”
NEA members established the GPS Fund in 2013 to advance good ideas and smart policies to benefit students and public education. Previous GPS Fund grants have supported programs to prevent bullying and suicide, increase the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), and provide professional development opportunities for educators. The grants support programs designed to focus on student-centered success, on professional accomplishment and on dynamic collaboration among empowered educators.
This year’s recipients will use the GPS Fund grants to implement or expand a variety of programs including professional learning programs that will elevate education support professionals, access to racial justice and restorative practice trainings for early career educators, continuous professional learning opportunities for aspiring educators and early career educators, among others.
“Time after time we see the transformative power of educators—whether they’re inspiring our students to learn, or advocating for better working and learning conditions in our schools,” said Pringle. “These grant-funded programs elevate educators in their vital roles as leaders of meaningful change so that every student can have access to a quality public education.”
Grants from the GPS Fund are made directly to NEA state and local affiliates for promising projects and ideas that improve student success. The grants also help affiliates build partnerships with local organizations and work with key education stakeholders to develop and implement programs and policies that emphasize student success through union-led efforts.
Since its inception, the GPS Fund has awarded more than $34.4 million to 82 NEA state and local affiliates.
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