Driving Succe:
Classroom Projects

Debby Guardino, a Virginia special education teacher,
wanted to do something to help Joplin, Mo., teachers
whose classroom resources were completely destroyed by
the devastating tornado that hit the area in 2011. She
single-handedly raised more than $400,000 in classroom
supplies before traveling to Mi: i. Over 12 day:
Debby instructed teachers on how to raise money for
their classroom projet i By the
time of her departure fi in, she had overseen the

ribution of all donated supplies and conducted more
than 20 computer classes. Under her guidance, teachers
posted more than 200 projects. Within a month, 800
teachers’ projects were posted on DonorsChoose.org. To
date, more than 5,000 members have raised over $580,000
in donations reaching some 96,000 Joplin students.



e/g teen sss Ase a4

Remember the ABCs —

{
6 Attendance, Behavior, Course Performance, y

and College Access. Those factors are clearly 8
linked to student success, they are easily
measurable, and community service activities }
can positively affect them.

What are students’ rights? Students
have the right to receive an education free from
discrimination. Learn about these rights by reaching
out to your state department of education, or visit
the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil
Rights’ website at www.ED.gov/OCR.

fone reSources are eee to
apdaled on lest
ccesclation mew? Stay current through social
media, newspapers, magazines, and websites. The
US. Department of Education, for example, offers
news and resources by email at
www.ED.gov/emailupdates, free publications
at www.edpubs.goy, and live help by phone in
English and Spanish at 1-800-USA-LEARN
(1-800-872-5327).

What are challenges that youths in
your neighborhood Face? itis especially
important to understand the situations of at-risk

students. Visit FindYouthInfo.gov.



Volunteer Volunteers are always needed to
help with day-to-day tasks or to help execute special
projects. Reach out to your school principal, teacher,
or community center, or visit Serve.gov, an online
resource where you can find volunteer opportunities
and recruit volunteers.

Plan an ever Events can help meet needs and
raise awareness. Organize drives for food, clothing,

books, or school supplies, as well as fundraisers and
family nights.

Adopt @ School. Adopting a school can

take on a variety of forms, including remodeling and
renovating a school, creating an after-school program,
and making over a library, music room, or parent
center.



Driving Success: School Makeover

Deirdre Pierce, a DeKalb County, Ga., PTA mom,
noticed how neglected her local high school had
become. She succeeded in assembling dedicated
and fearless parents, and others, who advocated
for a total upgrade of the building. She formed
partnerships with local community and faith groups,
and a member of the local school board. The effort
took time and sweat equity but it happened, and the
students saw adults committing to their education.



Join the Corversation

Plan a diSCLSSiOn, Invite neighbors,
friends, and colleagues to gather for a discussion to
help solve a school-based problem.

Connect with education groups.
Reach out to groups that focus on education. Find out
when the school board, school or district advisory
boards, and chamber of commerce meet. Other
organizations that may have local chapters near you
include parent associations, civil rights advocates and
mayors’ youth councils.

Speak 4p. Your voice can be a powerful tool for
making changes in your community. If you feel com-
fortable writing, express your opinions and concerns
through articles, blogs, and tweets, or speak up at a

community, town, or school board meeting. Voting is
another way to express yourself.



Keep schools safe. Students who don't
feel safe have a hard time learning. There are plenty
of resources online that cover safety-in-school
resources and school violence prevention.

Welp academically. Students need to work
on academic performance throughout the year,
including the summer months. In order to be
aligned with what is going on throughout the school
day, seek out tutoring opportunities within a school.

Mertor. Address the social needs of children by
mentoring them through school-based programs
and activities.

Research higher education options.
When helping someone you know make a decision
about postsecondary education — technical
programs, community colleges, four-year colleges,
and universities — consider the academic programs,
classroom environment, costs, and federal student
aid options. Visit StudentAid.gov.



Education Drives
Arrerica

How you can help create
a culture of academic
success in your community

® U.S. Department of Education



ey
/ Fecus on Priority Schools

4
‘
6

The school closest to you may not be the

one that needs the most attention. Focus on
improving Priority Schools and their feeder
schools. Priority Schools are the lowest-
achieving schools in a state. Talk to the school’s
administration or go online and visit district
websites or websites such as GreatSchools.org or
LocalSchoolDirectory.com for information on
school performance.



Contribute Fnancialhy. schools are
frequently in need of extra financial support. There are
several tools to help you donate to a classroom in need
such as AdoptAClassroom.org and DonorsChoose.org.
They allow individuals to fund classroom projects
designed by teachers in high-need schools. Local public
education funds also raise money to support schools.

Challenge Community. Join with

schools, national service programs, higher education
institutions, and

community-based y) Wa tae tne,

organizations to J, by Ze if
improve our lowest- Don’ ie Forget to

performing schools It is important to celebrate student

by participating 4 achievement. Build an environment

in the US. § i
Department of

Education's Together
for Tomorrow
Challenge at
TFT.Challenge.gov.

Offer Opportunities - At your place of
business, consider offering discounts or incentives

for students, teachers, or school staff, or internships
for teachers and students to educate them about your
industry; help school districts align their programs
with your industry’s needs; or provide career
shadowing to students to help connect their education
to potential careers.



aa

Support Students

Welp with FAFSA. Completing the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the
first step toward getting federal aid for college,
career training, or graduate school. The U.S.
Department of Education provides more than
$150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds
each year, but students must fill out the FAFSA to
determine their eligibility. Visit StudentAid.ed.gov/
FAFSA.

Focus on attendance. Chronic absenteeism
in school — 10 percent or more of the school year
— can significantly affect a student's future. Find
ways to play a role in promoting good attendance

in your community. AttendanceWorks.org is one of
several resources for ideas.

ving Success: Tutoring and
Extra Help
tor Pimienta, a student at Loyola
Marymount University in Los Angeles, found
himself building relationships with facilities
management and food service workers on
campus who asked him if he could tutor their
children. Growing up in a working-class
ghborhood, Nestor understood it was
ifficult finding extra help. That’s when he
decided to found Tutoring Tomorrow Today, a

student-run program to provide subject-based

tutoring and mentoring for the families of the
campus workers who inspired the idea.


,

Ask
The #rst Step in helping
support public ediication is
to ask the right gestions .

Wow are education decisions
ade? Education decisions are made on three
different levels—federal, state, and local. Education
is primarily a state and local responsibility. School
boards, administrators, teachers, and elected
officials make most decisions. Understand where
they stand on key topics.

What is the state of education in
Community? Every community is

different. Contact your local school or community

center, and talk to your friends and neighbors

to determine your community's strengths and

weaknesses.

and the increasing
number of residents without a high school
diploma, Mark Atkinson presented a plan to
teach community GED prep classes at no cost.

Because of Mark’s dedication, he is changing the

of many famili


For more resources and ideas on how you can
support students and schools in your community,
go to www.ed.gov/get involved.


There is simply no more important work in our society
than education. The president understands that, parents
understand that, America understands that. Now we—all
of us together—must act on that understanding and move
forward.

—US. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Yous may ask...
Can L really help?

De you believe education is important?

Do you believe every child deserves a gudity
education?

De you have ideas on how to improve the education
experience?

Have you ever wondered,” What can I do?”

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, why not
step up to make a difference? This pamphlet contains
ideas on how you can help and stories of others who have
led the way.


This document contains contact addresses and websites for information created and
maintained by other public and private organizations, and it is provided for the reader’s
convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the
accuracy, relevancy, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. The
inclusion of information, addresses or websites for particular items does not reflect their
importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services
offered.

U.S. Department of Education
Are Duncan
Secretary of Education

Office of Communications and Outreach
Peter Cunningham
Assistant Secretary

September 2012

This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in
part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation
should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Communications and Outreach,
Education Drives America, Washington, D.C., 2012.

To order copies of this publication:

Write to EDPubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O.
Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.

Or fax your request to 703-605-6794.
Or e-mail your request to edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

Or call in your request toll free to 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). Those who
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY) should
call 1-877-576-7734. If 877 service is not available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327
(1-800-USA-LEARN) or 1-800-437-0833 (TTY).

Or order online at http://edpubs. gov.

This publication is available on the Department’s website at
http://www.ed.gov/get-involved/

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print or
compact disc. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format
Center at 202-260-0852 or at 202-260-0818.

Notice to Limited English Proficient Individuals: If you have difficulty understanding
English, you may request language assistance services free of charge for Department

of Education information that is available to the public. For information on translation
services call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) and for TTY call 1-800-437-0833.
You may also email us at ed.language.assistance@ed.gov.


Driving Success: Education Seminars

Understanding the confusion that new immigrants
face about how best to enter the mainstream

U.S. economy, Liberty Tax Service created the

Una Familia Sin Fronteras Foundation to offer
financial and fiscal education seminars free of
charge throughout the year. Through Spanish radio
programs and partnerships with more than 400
nonprofits, school districts, churches, libraries, GED
programs, schools for English language learners,
universities, Hispanic consulates, and governmental
institutions, more than 1,000 Liberty offices have,
together, assisted hundreds of thousands of Latinos.



The Department of Education's mission is to promote
student achievement and preparation for global
competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and
ensuring equal access.

www.ed.gov