National (or available in multiple states)

Legal and Education Resources

• National Education Association (NEA): https://www.nea.org/

• The NEA is the largest teachers’ union in the U.S. and provides legal and financial resources, advocacy, and representation for teachers facing restrictive legislation. The NEA offers resources on academic freedom and can help members navigate legal battles over curriculum restrictions.

 

• American Federation of Teachers (AFT): https://www.aft.org/

• The AFT provides legal and professional support for teachers, often covering legal cases related to curriculum censorship, intellectual freedom, and union rights. They offer grants, professional development, and legal support for members facing restrictions on classroom topics.

 

• FIRE Foundation: https://www.thefire.org/

• Originally focused on higher education, FIRE now supports K-12 teachers, especially on issues related to free speech and academic freedom. They offer legal representation, resources, and a reporting platform for cases where teachers face censorship.

 

• PEN America: https://pen.org/

• PEN America advocates for free expression, and it has increased its support for K-12 educators facing censorship, especially regarding banned books and restricted curriculum content. They provide toolkits, legal resources, and advocacy for teachers.

 

• National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC): https://ncac.org/

• The NCAC provides support and legal advice for teachers dealing with censorship in schools. They focus on defending access to information, curriculum choices, and protecting teachers' and students' rights to free expression.

 

• Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/

• The SPLC works to address social justice issues and offers legal assistance, research, and educational resources to teachers who face restrictions on topics related to race, history, and social justice in the classroom.

 

• LAMBDA Legal: https://lambdalegal.org/

• Lambda Legal is a national organization that provides legal assistance and representation for LGBTQ+ individuals facing discrimination, including teachers impacted by restrictive laws. They focus on defending civil rights, fighting discrimination, and promoting LGBTQ+ equality.

 

• GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network): https://www.glsen.org/

• GLSEN advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in schools and provides resources for educators, including toolkits for responding to discriminatory policies and restrictive laws. GLSEN also offers data and support to help LGBTQ+ teachers create safe spaces.

 

• Public Citizen: https://www.citizen.org/

• Public Citizen provides pro-bono legal representation in cases involving public interest, including challenges to governmental overreach and unconstitutional laws that impact educators' rights to teach freely.

 

• National Lawyers Guild (NLG): https://www.nlg.org/

• NLG provides free or low-cost legal services, focusing on civil rights and social justice issues. They have a network of attorneys who specialize in free speech, educational rights, and advocacy.

 

Supplies, Funding

• DonorsChoose: https://www.donorschoose.org/

• DonorsChoose is a platform where teachers can post specific classroom needs and receive donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Teachers can request funding for a variety of supplies, from books and technology to art materials and science equipment.

 

• AdoptAClassroom.org: https://www.adoptaclassroom.org/

• AdoptAClassroom.org connects teachers with donors who want to support specific classroom projects. Teachers can create a fundraising campaign for classroom supplies, and donors can contribute directly to their needs.

 

• TeacherLists: https://www.teacherlists.com

• TeacherLists helps teachers create and share wish lists for classroom supplies. Parents, local businesses, and other supporters can then purchase supplies directly from the list.

 

• The Education Foundation: https://www.edufoundnt.org/

• Local education foundations often provide grants and supplies to teachers, especially those in underfunded schools. The specific offerings vary by region.

 

• Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

• While primarily a marketplace for educational resources, Teachers Pay Teachers also offers free materials created by teachers for teachers. You can find free worksheets, lesson plans, and classroom resources.

 

• Classroom Central: https://classroomcentral.org/

• Classroom Central is a nonprofit organization that provides free school supplies to teachers in underfunded schools. They offer a wide range of supplies, from paper to books and other materials.

 

• The Kids in Need Foundation: https://www.kinf.org/

• The Kids in Need Foundation provides free school supplies to teachers in need through their Resource Centers. Teachers can "shop" for supplies at no cost if they meet certain eligibility criteria.

 

• The Awesome Foundation: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en

• The Awesome Foundation provides small, no-strings-attached grants of $1,000 each to support innovative projects in education. These funds can be used for classroom supplies, creative projects, and more.

 

• The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation: https://hjweinbergfoundation.org/

• This foundation offers grants to public schools, focusing on improving the educational experience for students in underserved communities, including funding for classroom supplies.

Book Accessibility 

• Books for Kids: https://www.booksforkids.org/

• Books for Kids is a nonprofit organization that provides new, high-quality books to children in underserved communities. They work with schools, libraries, and community centers to distribute books.

 

• First Book: https://firstbook.org/

• First Book is a nonprofit that provides free or low-cost books to educators and organizations serving children in need. They offer a large selection of new books that can be accessed by teachers, librarians, and after-school programs.

 

• Reading is Fundamental (RIF): https://www.rif.org/

• Reading is Fundamental provides free books and literacy programs to children from low-income families. They offer book giveaways, classroom programs, and family literacy initiatives.

 

• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/

• Imagination Library is a free book-gifting program that provides a book each month to children from birth to age five. It is available in many U.S. states and in several countries.

 

• The Book Bank Foundation: https://thebbf.org/

• The Book Bank Foundation provides free books to children in underprivileged areas, especially to schools, libraries, and organizations that serve children from low-income households.

 

• Read to Grow: https://readtogrow.org/

• Their Books for Kids program distributes new and gently used books to families, child-care providers, teachers, and other nonprofits

 

• Reach Out and Read: https://reachoutandread.org/

• Medical providers promote early literacy and school readiness by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud