In accordance with our mission, DonorsChoose is focused on providing resources to U.S. public schools (located within the 50 states and D.C.) serving PreK-12 students. These include:
- Public schools run by a local education agency (LEA)
- Charter schools
- Head Start centers
- Bureau of Indian Education schools.
- Public programs administered by other public entities such as juvenile court/correctional schools, and intermediate service districts/educational service agencies.
Schools that we do not serve:
- Private schools.
- Parochial or religiously affiliated schools.
- Non-profit, non-public, or independent schools.
- Early Head Start classrooms.
- Schools outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia. We do not serve schools in overseas territories, even if they are run by the DODEA, unless otherwise noted through specific pilot programs.
- Daycares, summer camps, or afterschool programs.
- Educational programs at public facilities, such as libraries or museums.
- Adult education, colleges, or universities.
- Homeschools.
Teachers must be full-time employees of the district or other eligible school listed above to create an account. As an eligible teacher, you’ll have a chance to find your school during the registration process. If your school is a new school or offers a unique program, you may need to request that your school be added during the registration process.
If your school is not eligible for DonorsChoose, you may find Adopt-A-Classroom (http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/) and other crowdfunding websites helpful.
FAQ:
My school’s governing body is a non-profit or private organization, but we are a charter school or Head Start location. Are we eligible?
Yes. As long as your school is a charter school or a Head Start center, your school is eligible.
My school is a non-profit, independent, or private institution that accepts students from public schools through referrals, partnerships, or a ”choice school” program with the local public school district. Are we eligible?
No. We do not serve schools that are privately operated, even if they accept students from public school districts.
If your school is operated and staffed by an intermediate school district (which may also be referred to as a regional service unit, educational service agency, or intermediate unit, among other names), your school is eligible.
If your school is a charter school managed by a nonprofit or private organization, your school is eligible.
My school is not a Head Start, but it is a pre-K or daycare facility that receives public funding, partners with a school district, or is part of a Universal Pre-K program. Are we eligible?
No. Currently, only district-run pre-K and Head Start centers are eligible.
My school is a Head Start, but it also houses an Early Head Start location. Are we eligible?
Yes. When we add your location, Head Start teachers can register under your school. We do not currently serve private, nonprofit, or community partner preschools, even if they are fully or partially funded by public sources. Additionally, we do not serve daycare centers or Early Head Start classrooms.
My school serves students who are over 18 or beyond the typical high school age range. Are we eligible?
We do serve some programs for students over 18. These include:
- High school equivalency programs for students 18-21
- Transition programs for students with IEPs
- Alternative high schools for students at risk of not receiving their diplomas
These programs must be run by a public school district or intermediate service district. We do not serve colleges/universities or other institutions primarily focused on adult education. Please provide as much information as possible for our team when requesting to add your school.
My school is virtual. Are we eligible?
For more information on virtual school eligibility, please see this page.
If you work at an ineligible school, you may find the following websites helpful:
http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/