RI Foundation awards grants to elementary school teachers

By The Associated Press

news@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) _ The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded grants to elementary school teachers throughout the state to encourage classroom innovation.

The foundation says it’s giving about 280 teachers in 26 municipalities a total of $215,000 in grants.

Full-time third-grade teachers applied for grants of up to $1,000 for programs to engage students through unique experiences and creative learning methods.

The expenses include software licenses, field trips, equipment and other resources that otherwise wouldn’t be available in the classroom.

The Spark Grants program was launched in 2013 by philanthropists Letitia and John Carter.

It had been previously limited to urban school districts.

© The Associated Press WLNE-TV  2015