Angleton Isd Education Foundation Inc

The goal of the Angleton ISD Education Foundation is to raise funds for projects and activities that go beyond the normal classroom experience, benefiting students, teachers and the entire community through an investment in education. We do this primarily through our Grants for Great Ideas Program. This program is designed to encourage, facilitate, recognize and reward innovative and creative instructional approaches.

All instructional staff (paraprofessionals, teachers, instructional coaches, principals, etc.) are invited and encouraged to apply for a grant. The level of community involvement varies based on the individual grants, however, all applications undergo a rigorous evaluation process by campus leadership, curriculum directors and finally the Education Foundation’s Programs Committee -- comprised of community members and business leaders. The Programs Committee also regularly visits the campuses to review the funded grants in action and provide valuable feedback.

While each grant varies, the application for the Grants for Great Ideas requires applicants to describe the need, activities, timeline, and evaluation and success criteria for their proposed grant project.

All proposals are screened to ensure that they:
- Add depth to the curriculum, promote innovation, and help to motivate students
- Support the goals and values of AISD while enriching curriculum objectives
- Support collaboration among grade levels, teams, departments, parents, or the community
- Provide for a sustainable program and possible community partnerships
- Address the varied educational needs of our students and community
- Maintain an appropriate and relevant purpose, itemized budget, implementation plan, and achievable results

The Angleton ISD Education Foundation is governed by a diverse Board of Directors made up of business, community and educational leaders.
After ensuring the grants are in-line with district needs, the grants are sent to the Education Foundation’s Programs Committee for review. This committee is made up of community members and business leaders. These volunteers are comprised of individuals from various educational and professional backgrounds to make sure the evaluations are fair and well-rounded. Each volunteer reviews blinded copies of all applications individually and submits initial feedback to the executive director. Then, the committee meets in-person to openly discuss the grants and collaborate. This in-person review is crucial as it gives the committee members a chance to vocalize their opinions and defend their positions. In addition to leading to grants being funded, it sheds light on problem areas within the district and creates an opportunity for community members to have a direct impact on beneficial change.

In 2019:
- $132,974 in classroom grants awarded by the Angleton ISD Education Foundation
- 22 grant programs funded
- 50% of the Angleton ISD student population has been impacted
- 100% of AISD elementary campuses have maker spaces available
- 90% of awarded grants self-report success
- 90% of awarded grants evaluated report success
- 100% of students impacted by the Building Math Minds grants demonstrated significant improvements on STAAR scores