Independent education foundations: Can one work in your district?

-By David S. Sherman, advisor and past president

Guitars strum in the music wing of the Cape Elizabeth Middle School. The songs of the Beatles, Green Day and Elvis reverberate against the walls. Thanks to an enthusiastic teacher and a $3,000 grant from the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation, music theory is no longer being taught in the traditional manner. These students do not just learn about chords, they play them on the guitars purchased with a Foundation grant. The program is such a resounding success that students are begging their parents for instruments and are bringing what they have learned into their homes, enriching their educational experience beyond the classroom.

Local education foundations do not replace public school funding, but this is one example of how my town's Foundation has enhanced the offerings of the Cape Elizabeth school system. Founded in 2001 by a group of Cape Elizabeth residents and a visionary superintendent, the Foundation's mission is simple - to support faculty, staff and students by providing funding for creative and innovative educational programs that fall outside the school budget. This seems particularly important in a time when public funding in Maine is focused on supporting essential programs and services.

Currently there are nearly 7000 education foundations nationwide actively contributing to and supporting public education. In Cape Elizabeth, the Education Foundation works with School District leaders to help ensure that the Town's children are engaged and inspired in learning. The Foundation has supported the school district's laptop program, helped establish a learning center at the high school level, funded professional development grants for teachers, and has funded grants to enrich classroom learning.

As a board member for the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation, and as a parent of three school-age children, I have seen first-hand the benefits of a privately funded foundation. Last year, my son came home after dissecting fish in his 5th grade science class - all because his teacher received a grant to bring in a marine biologist from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. This program was so successful, the Institute now offers similar programs to other local schools.

While the up-sides are many, establishing a foundation and continuing to fund its initiatives takes time and commitment from a number of people. Here are a few important lessons I have learned that could be helpful if you want to establish a foundation in your own community:

1. Look at existing local education foundations for ideas. You can access a great deal of information on the Internet. (Our web-site is www.ceef.us.) Better yet, contact a board member of a local foundation and get the benefit of his or her experience.

2. Recruit a group of community leaders and educators to outline what you want your foundation to do (e.g., classroom grants, professional development, or both?). It is critical that schools' administrators and teachers are behind the foundation from the outset. Our foundation has "educational advisors" on its board - District teachers who help evaluate grant applications and provide insights into what works best within the school system. Our superintendent also attends board meetings.

3. Establish your foundation as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt entity to encourage local donations and file the necessary paperwork with the State to ensure your nonprofit status. This will require a consultation with an attorney (unless you recruit an attorney with this expertise to serve on your board - see below).

4. Recruit a board of directors that is reflective of your community and also targets expertise and skills needed to do the board's work (e.g., writers, lawyers, accountants, marketers and educators).

5. Outline the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors and establish governing policies.

6. Develop a plan to communicate your goals to the community at large, through local newspaper articles or a newsletter.

7. Develop a plan to raise funds to support your initiatives.

There are many rewards to establishing a foundation. Classroom and professional development grants help attract and keep talented educators in the school system and enhance the learning experiences of students. An education foundation also allows educators to try out and implement innovative programs that may provide that extra spark in a child's education. Having seen the benefits first-hand, I encourage you to consider establishing a foundation in your community.

For more information please contact CEEF at 207- 767-CEEF (2333) or info@ceef.us.