December 16, 2020

The 2020 Grant Patrol, presented by the Plano ISD Education Foundation along with founding event sponsor Park Place Lexus and this year's partners CoServ, HEB Tournament of Champions, Huawei and T-Mobile, surprised teachers at their schools on December 16. 

Traveling across Plano ISD, foundation board members, Plano ISD trustees, program sponsors, district staff and parent leaders personally delivered 50 grants totaling $60,700. Socially-distanced cheers and tears of happiness were the common theme as teachers stepped outside to the front of the school where the surprise news awaited. The Grants to Educators program exists to help Plano ISD educators enhance instruction in schools and classrooms across the district. 

The grant process began weeks ago as educators applied for grants for innovative programs. Grant applications were judged by a crew of volunteers who completed a scoring rubric that aimed to rate applications on important elements like expected outcomes and how the grant money will be spent. Details regarding the research behind the requests were included in the applications. Each applicant also stated in their application how their proposed grant supports the Plano ISD strategic plan.

Once the grant applications were in, then came the hard work of narrowing the field of applications to the 50 winning grants. Plano ISD teachers are passionate about teaching, and their ideas and proposals to help their students become powered by learning were all inspiring. 

Grants are also funded through the PISDEF’s fundraising such as the SKI Plano event, the communitywide Honor Roll Annual Campaign, North Texas Giving Day as well as the Plano ISD employee campaign. 

Find out more about the Plano ISD Education Foundation and all of their funded programs or call (469) 752-8272 for more information.