Crowdfunding guide helps districts develop safe, effective practices

Chiefs for Change has released a new guide to help schools and districts use crowdfunding effectively, safely, and equitably, and to develop policies concerning approval, collections, ownership and tracking of results.EdSurge, the organization that developed the guide, consulted more than 40 educational and crowdfunding experts in the process and determined that education leaders' major concerns include whether crowdfunding may violate district policies or state laws, that it causes confusion regarding the ownership of resources obtained through crowdfunding, creates legal issues, raises equity concerns and fails to align with school district priorities.The guide seeks to answer these questions as well as provide guidance about how crowdfunding best works in education, how to create policies that provide transparency and accountability, and how to choose crowdfunding platforms that best align with school district priorities and needs. Though funding for schools is slowly recovering from the recession, this funding rarely reaches the classroom in a way that teachers can use to implement special projects or gain needed supplies. In some cases, teachers want to gain access to technology or resources they feel will improve the learning experience and create more hands-on opportunities for students. Some teachers want to raise funds for field trips or other experiences they feel will broaden their students' knowledge. Other teachers are simply trying to help meet basic student needs for school supplies or clothing.