Program areas at Polk Education Foundation and Business Partnership
Scholarships: in our annual scholarship program, donors decide the criteria used for selection, most focus on need and or academic ability. Awarded funds generally go directly to the institution rather than the student. Part of our scholarship program is our take stock in children (tsic) program, which not only provides a 2 or 4 year tuition scholarship for students in financial need, but each recipient is also matched with a mentor while they are in high school and gets to take advantage of other tsic support services such as study skills workshops, free cultural experiences and college tours.
Grants: the Foundation provides grants to assist schools in various capacities. The grant programs administered were: the teacher to teacher connection, which helps share innovative teaching practices and provides grant monies to classrooms to replicate those practices; stem Education grants, which provide supply money for stem lessons taught as part of the required curriculum; school matching grants, which offered a match for schools to use to raise local dollars to support literacy, low performers, professional development for teachers for graduation rate needs at their school.
Americorps Polk reads: provides one on one reading tutoring to kindergarten thru third grade students deemed below grade level by their classroom teacher. Trained reading tutors work with the teacher to determine skills taught and strategies used. Tutoring takes place during the school day in the child's regular reading block to avoid transportation issues to a tutoring program held before or after school. Most children that have been tutored in this program have gained at least one grade level in reading, most two. Additionally, tutors provide community service hours related to literacy.
Other program services: general - various award programs and direct assistance projects involving students/teachers directed towards motivating and rewarding various educational objectives.