Schools Aim to Fundraise $1 Million by Partnering with ClassTag

New Marketplace feature on the free app generates ‘cashback’ funds for schools and classrooms every time parents go shopping online.

ClassTag, a free parent engagement app for teachers and schools, is unveiling a pilot launch of its Marketplace feature to boost schools’ funding. The announcement is being made at this week’s Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, FL.

As state and local funding for schools continues to decline, ClassTag is expanding on its mission to help schools turn parents into partners by helping them raise funds needed for their children’s education. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, approximately 31 states provide less support per student now than in 2008.

The ClassTag marketplace generates “cashback” funds for schools or classrooms every time parents do their regular shopping online. Funds can be used at school discretion for supplies, field trips, technology and other school and classroom needs. So far, 100 pilot schools have received free access to the ClassTag marketplace.

“Affiliate programs have been around for decades,” said Jason Olim, ClassTag’s co-founder and chief technical officer, in a statement. “Even before the internet, schools raised funds through scrip and other programs to help support their mission. What is different with ClassTag’s program is that affiliate shopping is integrated into school communications, making it easier and more likely for parents to use it.”

ClassTag’s marketplace pilots with Amazon in a program that has reported on average $1,500 per year spending by its Prime members and $625 per year by non-members.

“Amazon alone represents a potential of $10,000 for an average elementary school based on its program,” said Vlada Lotkina, ClassTag’s CEO, in a statement. “We have created the opportunity for $1 million (in) funds by the end of 2017 for the schools currently in the program. The key to achieving this goal is changing parents’ behavior to actually utilize this opportunity, and that is why we are so excited about this partnership that builds on ClassTag’s parent communication and engagement platform that the schools rely on to improve parent involvement.”

ClassTag is a New York-based web and mobile platform that aims to help schools turn parents into partners by simplifying all communications and scheduling and motivating parents to get involved.

ClassTag is exhibiting this week at FETC in booth 2153. For more information, visit ClassTag’s website.

About the Author

Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • hand holding globe and environmental icons in front of a green background

    CoSN, SETDA, UDT Release Guidelines for Environmentally Responsible Technology Purchasing

    CoSN and SETDA, in partnership with IT and telecommunications solution provider UDT, recently released a set of Sustainability Procurement Guidelines designed to help K-12 school and district leaders, procurement officers, and technology directors make purchasing decisions that are both environmentally responsible and operationally effective.

  • digital dashboard featuring a shield icon, graphs, a world map, and network nodes

    IBM Launches Agentic AI Governance and Security Platform

    IBM has introduced a new software stack for enterprise IT teams tasked with managing the complex governance and security challenges posed by autonomous AI systems.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.

  • tutor and student working together at a laptop

    You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

    As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.