Grand Rapids nonprofit hopes to give students a leg up with donation of 2,700 graphing calculators

A Grand Rapids nonprofit dedicated to helping students in the Grand Rapids Public Schools is hoping to put costly TI-84Plus graphing calculators in the hands of every high school student this year. Thus far, the Student Advancement Foundation has donated 1,900 of the 2,700 calculators needed.

Three years ago, the group completed a campaign to restock all 47 GRPS libraries with $1.6 million worth of books using money from local donors. Afterward, GRPS asked the group for help in obtaining the vital graphing calculators.

"I've heard from the district that the research shows that using the calculator on the ACT is a blanket five percent increase on the score," says Susan Heartwell, executive director. "Students need four years of advanced math starting in ninth grade with algebra. You don't need to have a graphing calculator to take the classes, but you're at a definite disadvantage if you don't have one."

Teachers record each calculator's serial number and assign the calculators to students who use them and return them at the end of the class or the school year, says Heartwell.

The calculators retail at about $130. More than 80 percent of GRPS students qualify for free- or reduced-cost lunch, Heartwell says. That means most families are strained economically and can't afford the calculators – especially if families have more than one child in high school.

SAF has raised all but $132,000 of its $450,000 goal through private donations. As money comes in, SAF releases it to the schools to order the calculators.
 
"Our goal is to remove the barriers to education, and not having these calculators is a barrier," Heartwell adds. "Our kids don't need to be disadvantaged this way and for a moderate amount of investment we can remove this barrier."

Source: Susan Heartwell, Student Advancement Foundation

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].


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