Northwest ISD says it had half the usual applicants for its innovation grants, probably because teachers are too busy making up for learning losses during the pandemic.
Money to help teachers improve their classroom experiences has been left sitting on the table in Northwest Independent School District.
The district's education foundation has raised money for teachers to apply for grants to do innovative projects in the classroom but the teachers haven't applied for the cash.
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Numbers are down 50% to their usual levels.
Teachers usually come up with innovative ideas and ways to help kids learn, then present their plan to the foundation which will often fundraise to pay for the plans.
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That happened this year like years past but in much smaller numbers.
The group thinks educators are so busy trying to fight learning losses from the pandemic they haven't had the time to apply for these learning grants.
"When you're talking about an innovation grant it takes time and teachers are going everything that can to get kids where they need to be," said Jennifer Burton, Executive Director, Northwest Education Foundation.
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The foundation has already given out all its grants this year, but the total number of applicants was cut in half.
The district is looking at doing a second round of grants this spring to help get that cash in the classroom.
