Education Organizations - Free Resources for Parents

"Rethinking School Lunch builds on the premise that hands-on experience growing and preparing food is a powerful way for children to discover that healthy food tastes good, and to learn about the cycles, seasons, other processes of nature, and the relationship between the health of natural and social systems."

The Edible Schoolyard, in collaboration with Martin Luther King Junior Middle School, provides urban public school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom.

"Farm to School programs are popping up all over the U.S. These programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers."

Funded by the US General Services Administration, this site offers free publications on everything from “How to Maintain Your Tires” to “Caring for a Loved One.”. A huge, comprehensive resource for free publications.  Try searching for “school,”  “math,”  “homework,”  “pediatrician” or any other applicable topic.

Statistics regarding the increasingly competitive global economy, where the US fits in, and information about the Commission on the Future of Higher Education and its designated tasks.

Sponsored by the US Dept. of Education.  Huge resource for programs and publications, annual reports, various data tools, and a useful “Fast Facts” feature.

“More and Better Mathematics for All Students.”  The site offers curriculum focus points, resources and tips for parents to help their children with math, answers to questions, advocacy resources and more.

Members and educators page with activities, booklists, and professional development resources; a parents’ page with information on parental involvement, parent-teacher conference pointers, and homework help.  Also discusses issues in education and has multiple other resources.

“Improves learning by building capacity in schools, families, and communities through applied research and development. The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) provides research and development assistance to education, government, community agencies, business, and labor.”  With publications and resources for educators, parents, policy makers, and the public.

“A place for parents, educators and leaders to research information about public schools.”

After more than two years of research and input from Oregonians, Chalkboard identified priority areas for our Legislative session that will help make our schools among the nation's best. With Priority Package, Take Action, Parent’s Center, and Employer’s Center sections, a site for Spanish speakers, news, and quizzes.

Weekly newsletters, discussion groups, a math library, and useful links to other math resources on the web. 

ERIC provides free access to more than 1.2 million bibliographic records of journal articles and other education-related materials and, if available, includes links to full text.

Links to Supplemental Education resources from the US Department of Education.  Includes programs and frequently asked questions.

"Future Educators Association (FEA), is a professional organization that suports more than 20,000 students who are interested in education-related careers.  Through FEA, these students get a realistic vision of what it means to be a teacher.  The FEA program provides members with:

• Scholarship opportunities
• Hands-on career exploration activities
• Unparalleled professional learning opportunities at the annual national conference
• A connection with peers worldwide through FEAConnect, and online community just for FEA members."

College Summit is a national nonprofit organization that partners with schools and districts to strengthen college-going culture and increase college enrollment rates, so that all students graduate career and college-ready.

UNCF plays a critical role in enabling more than 60,000 students each year to attend college and get the education they want and deserve. To close the educational attainment gap between African Americans and the majority population, UNCF helps promising students attend college.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading Hispanic scholarship organization, providing the Hispanic community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. In its 34 year history, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund has awarded close to $280M in scholarships to more than 90,000 students in need.   Two-thirds of these students were the first in their families to go to college.

The Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation (ALEF), a non-profit organization funded by foundations and companies, supports and  enables young men and women from Appalachia to pursue higher education though scholarship and leadership curriculum. The program includes an emphasis toward the preparation required to be the leaders of the next decade.  The concept of operations for ALEF is to partner with established academic institutions across Appalachia to provide the technical skills necessary as the basis for credible leadership.

The American Indian College Fund provides scholarships and other support for the American Indian students. The Fund disburses approximately 6,000 scholarships annually for American Indian students seeking to better their lives through higher education. The Fund also provides support for tribal college needs ranging from capital support to cultural preservation activities.