The crowdfunding platform DonorsChoose plays a surprisingly large role in American education, directing nearly $1 billion in donations to teachers at more than 80 percent of all U.S. public schools over the last two decades.

A new study coauthored by the University of Oklahoma’s Deven Carlson examined the schools and teachers that seek out and receive funding on the platform, finding that more than half of all submissions related to math and reading.

Carlson joins CPRE Knowledge Hub managing editor Keith Heumiller to discuss those and other findings, and some key takeaways for policymakers, school leaders and other stakeholders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Featured Research: Wolff, S., & Carlson, D. (2021). “Who Chooses DonorsChoose? Submission and Funding Patterns on the Nation’s Largest Education Crowdfunding Platform.” Educational Researcher