CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Education Alliance has a website set up where people can making donations for West Virginia teachers who lost classroom supplies in the recent flood.
Contributions are being accepted at floodsofsupport.com.
The donations are part of the Floods Of Support campaign in partnership with the Education Alliance, the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Board of Education and Donations and the Leadership West Virginia Education Committee.
Emily Pratt, director of communications and national service programs for the Education Alliance, said some teachers lost everything in the flood that damaged several schools in the state.
“Pencils and paper were flooded away as wells as things like books and in technology as well,” Pratt said.
Teachers can apply for funding from the alliance through December, Pratt said. As the funds come in throughout the year, applicants will be awarded to those teachers.
“It’s meant to cover items that were not currently under insurance coverage,” she said. “So things like teacher supplies or classroom aids and things like that that they use in their classroom, but may have lost and wouldn’t be able to get replaced.”
In 2014, teachers nationwide spent an average of $500 of their own money for their classrooms, according to a study by the National School Supply and Equipment Association. The study found 92 percent of teachers purchased classroom supplies with their own money and 85 percent bought instructional materials they felt their students needed.
A full assessment of damaged schools in West Virginia is in the process. State School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said their initial assessment revealed 25 schools were damaged in the state.