Austin, Texas– The Austin Creative Classroom Fund has awarded 33 grants totaling more than $220,000 to 25 schools throughout the Austin Independent School District in support of creative learning plans to impact student achievement.

This second round of grants awarded by the Austin Creative Classroom Fund, funded by an initial anonymous donation of $1 million, supports the citywide creative learning plan, Any Given Child Initiative, a partnership between the City of Austin, MINDPOP, Austin ISD, and community arts partners. The fund is designed to help schools increase access to creative learning; improve student achievement and engagement through the use of arts-based strategies; and fund specialized materials and equipment designed to improve the quality of creative learning programs for students.

After a highly competitive application process, the Austin Creative Classroom Fund awarded projects at the following schools: Allison, Blackshear, Blazier, Brown, Campbell, Cunningham, Fulmore, Galindo, Govalle, Hart, Houston, Barbara Jordan, Linder, Lamar, McCallum, Mendez, Oak Springs, Ortega, Perez, Reilly, Rodriguez, Sunset Valley, Travis Heights, Webb, Winn, Widen, and Williams.

“The Austin Creative Classroom Fund grants provide teachers a unique opportunity to improve creative learning for their students,” said Brent Hasty, Executive Director of MINDPOP. “Austin ISD’s commitment to creative learning deserves our support. Together, we can assure all students receive the academic and cognitive benefits of strong creative learning opportunities.”

The third round of Austin Creative Classroom Fund (ACCF) applications will be available in January 2014. The Board of Director’s of the ACCF are currently seeking additional resources to assure grants continue for a long time to come.