Lassiter is a third grade bilingual teacher at Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary in San Marcos, Texas. Eighteen percent of the students in Lassiter’s school district are considered Limited English Proficient, and 78 percent are considered economically disadvantaged.
“Some of the books I have here are two to three levels above third grade,” Lassiter said. “These are very difficult books that none of my students can really read.”
The challenge of teaching with low quality books was lessened last May when Lassiter received a $500 grant from the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF). Lassiter described herself as “elated” when she discovered she would be able to purchase high interest and age appropriate books in English and Spanish for her classroom.
Lassiter’s grant was one of 15 annually distributed by TRTF. The grants are made possible by charitable donations from retired teachers from across the state.
TRTF hosts Foundation Month in November. Foundation Month is a 30-day charity opportunity to donate to TRTF, so that grants like Lassiter’s can continue to improve classrooms for Texas students.
Please consider donating. You can donate online here, or over the phone by calling 1.800.880.1650.
Look forward to a new TRTF video update every week throughout the month of October!
Show your support for our vital charitable programs by sharing these videos now and throughout the months of October and November! To watch the second update, please click the video below.
Thank you for being a member of TRTA and for supporting the Foundation’s charitable endeavors. The Foundation’s very existence is dependent upon YOU. If 2,000 TRTA members donate $50 each, we can raise $100,000!
If you are not a member of TRTA and want more information about joining, please contact us at 1.800.880.1650. Follow us on Facebook! Visit our YouTube channel for regular video updates, including our month-long series of Foundation videos!
