Each year, monetary awards are presented to teachers, other staff members, and, occasionally, district residents for special classroom and other educational projects. Formerly referred to as mini-grants, IPEF Grants have provided educational enrichments in all areas of the curriculum and at all grade levels.
Intended for creative projects that normally could not be financed by district funds, IPEF Grants have been awarded for a mathematics pentathlon, a writing center, an ecology program, an outer-space experience, and many social science and other educational enrichments.
Starting with the 1998-99 school year, the ceiling on individual IPEF Grants was increased from $1,000 to $1,500, while the annual budget for these grants was boosted to $24,000. Applications are accepted twice each school year - in the fall and in the spring.
Since this program was established, about $355,000 have been awarded for 497 IPEF Grant projects.
