Written by Erika Page, PledgeCents.com

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . ..” In these words, Dickens captures an extraordinary time period: the first day of school. The melancholy of leaving the all-too-short summer behind combines with the incomparable excitement of a new school year. Veteran teachers are comfortable in their accumulations: classrooms full of primary colors and comforts, file cabinets full of curricula and grants proposed and accepted. Many newer teachers are just as lucky, with colorful Ikea lamps, virtual fireplaces, and Google drives full of ideas and resources. In preparation for the first day of school, there is one thing almost all teachers have in common: we reach into our own pockets to cover gaps left by districts and cumbersome grant requirements.     

This type of teacher spending is so common that there is a federal tax deduction for K-12 educators, but this is small compensation, and our students still are not getting the resources necessary to succeed. Riding to the rescue are Andyshea Saberioon and Ricky Johnson (feel free to picture them with Stetsons and spurs—they’re from Texas). Their brainchild, PledgeCents, gives teachers a user-friendly way to provide resources for their classrooms. Crowdfunding is not a new concept, but PledgeCents makes it incredibly attractive as an alternative to traditional fundraisers.  

Teachers can raise funds for just about anything. If a set of books was lost in the summer cleaning shuffle, (and the books were on their last legs anyway!) post a cause and raise money for a new set. If summer professional development led to an amazing new idea for using media to teach science, post a cause for the equipment and software necessary for an awesome new unit. If students aren’t getting enough computer time to succeed in the larger world, post a cause for laptops! Turnaround is quick. Rather than planning a year or more for a new endeavor, teachers can raise and receive funds in a matter of months. Everything about the process is simple, and teachers can ask for live help 24 hours a day. Literally!

Quick, easy money that helps our students learn and makes the school year more fun—PledgeCents delivers, and everyone wins.