$1 Million Early Learning Grant Supports Teacher Professional Development

The University of Florida College of Education has received a $1 million grant to support Early Learning Florida, the college's online professional development system for the state's 55,000 early learning educators.

The University of Florida's Lastinger Center for Learning is the college's innovation incubator that is implementing Early Learning Florida. According to information on the Lastinger Center's site, the platform "will offer free courses for early childhood educators to expand their certifications and gain skills to better educate and care for young children."

“We’ll use this money to improve learning and development for hundreds of thousands of young children by providing new tools and resources to build the skills of early learning professionals," said said Don Pemberton, director of the Lastinger Center for Learning, in a prepared statement.

The $1 million grant comes from the Jim Moran Foundation and will be dispersed in equal payments over the next three years. With this grant, Early Learning Florida has received $3 million in donations from major philanthropic organizations, including $900,000 from Helios Education Foundation, $500,000 from the Lastinger Family Foundation and $600,000 from an Ohio-based foundation that wishes to remain anonymous.

Further information about the UF Lastinger Center for Learning can be found on the University of Florida's site.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.