Reading & Literacy

The $37.40 Question

February 09, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Over at Jim Burke’s Ning at The English Companion, a teacher raised the question of what to do with the remaining budget her department has for the rest of the school year. All $37.40!

In the comments, someone suggested buying coffee and bagels and getting the teachers together for a brainstorming session on how to tap into other resources. The department had to make an expensive purchase of textbooks for middle school students, but now there is little left for the interactive whiteboard they were hoping to buy for one classroom.

I’m sure a lot of districts are facing this same issue. So what do you do when the funding well is almost dry but needs are ongoing for materials and equipment that will help teachers and students?

A version of this news article first appeared in the Curriculum Matters blog.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
Smarter Tools, Stronger Outcomes: Empowering CTE Educators With Future-Ready Solutions
Open doors to meaningful, hands-on careers with research-backed insights, ideas, and examples of successful CTE programs.
Content provided by Pearson
School Climate & Safety Webinar Strategies for Improving School Climate and Safety
Discover strategies that K-12 districts have utilized inside and outside the classroom to establish a positive school climate.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Decision Time: The Future of Teaching and Learning in the AI Era
The AI revolution is already here. Will it strengthen instruction or set it back? Join us to explore the future of teaching and learning.
Content provided by HMH

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor Small-Group Reading Instruction Can Be Effective
Don't get rid of small-group instruction just yet, urges this letter to the editor.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor Experts Diss Small-Group Instruction. Why?
Experts shouldn't label the practice as ineffective, argues this letter to the editor.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Video What Happens When Middle and High Schoolers Still Struggle to Read?
When it comes to reading, teachers and experts alike say that many older students still struggle with the basics.
1 min read
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Opinion Yes, Small-Group Reading Instruction Works. But Use It Wisely
When is the best time to use the approach over whole-class literacy instruction?
Nell K. Duke & Claude Goldenberg
4 min read
Collage of different instruction types including, one-on-one, small group, and whole class instruction.
Getty Images + Education Week