How can school district leaders leverage the benefit of crowdfunding for their schools while maintaining internal controls and student protection?
Consider the following factors when evaluating crowdfunding websites.
- Financial accountability
- Ownership of materials and supplies
- Safety and privacy
Only trust crowdfunding websites that meet these criteria.
- Purchase and send resources directly to verified schools, instead of depositing cash into teachers’ personal bank accounts. If your staff receives cash, it can put them and the district in a risky situation.
- Publicly display details about every item funded and provide clear explanation of overhead costs.
- Require teachers to report how the resources were used in the classroom and how students benefit.
- Designate that the school, rather than the teacher, ultimately owns the funded resources.
- Notify principals when items are being shipped and provide line-by-line reporting of every item to the district upon request.
- Have mechanisms in place to protect students’ privacy, as well as a privacy policy tailored to the unique needs of students in public schools.
Contact your local Horace Mann representative for more information.
WBSC-0615 (1-20)