As the new school year kicks off, educators are invariably reaching into their pockets to supplement their classroom resources. According to the Scholastic Teacher & Principal Report, 56% of teachers report spending their own money on books. But thanks to the ongoing Scholastic ClassroomsCount initiative, they can gain access to books, teaching kits, and other educational tools that can bolster their existing supplies—simply by signing up for their own account and promoting it online for possible contributions.
Building Their Libraries
Introduced in 2020, Scholastic ClassroomsCount was created in response to teachers expressing their need for greater classroom support, which ties directly into the company’s mission of guiding educators. “We were eager to launch this platform for our teacher community and to help them put even more books and resources in the hands of their students,” said Stacey Jaffe, senior v-p, digital services at Scholastic.
To create their own platforms, teachers can visit the ClassroomsCount webpage; provide some basic information (a brief description of their campaign, how much money they would like to raise, and what they plan to use it for); and then share their program on social media. Scholastic enables teachers to use 100% of the funds earned to purchase materials from the Scholastic Teacher Store, Scholastic Classroom Magazines, and Scholastic Book Clubs.
Jaffe noted the myriad ways teachers have utilized ClassroomsCount since its inception. “We are proud of the ways educators have so creatively used the platform to enhance special lessons, make students’ birthdays extra special by gifting books, help build home libraries, and even kickstart summer reading efforts by creating a book mobile that drives through local neighborhoods like a library on wheels and allows kids to check out books,” Jaffe said. Another recent partnership with ABC’s Abbott Elementary invited fans of the show to contribute to teachers through curated ClassroomsCount wish lists.
In the last year, participating educators have created more than 18,000 ClassroomsCount campaigns nationwide, raising more than $2 million in resources. One such teacher is Danielle Iannelli of Chicago, who has used this platform to raise funds for her classroom library. “Reading has always been crucial to me as a middle school ELA teacher and reading specialist, which is why I took advantage of this opportunity,” she said. Having grown her library thanks to the campaign, she is now able to provide her students with greater access to books of different genres and reading levels. “I love the joy I see when my kids can’t wait for someone to finish a book, so they can snatch it up next!,” Iannelli said.
