A. Applicant is OSD Employee: Yes
B. Narrative does not exceed 2-3 pages: Yes
C. Application includes budget: Yes
D. Request discussed with OSD departments: Academics, Administrative
E. Application has all required signatures: Yes
Project Narrative
This project seeks funding for a $1,000 subscription to Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) Express to provide Oregon School for the Deaf (OSD) teachers with high-quality, ready-to-use curriculum resources. TpT Express offers differentiated lesson plans, visual supports, labs, activities, and assessments that can be immediately adapted for Deaf and hard-of-hearing learners, including those with language deprivation. These resources are widely used by teachers nationwide, ensuring our staff has access to practical, effective materials that save planning time and directly benefit students.
This project supports OSD’s goals of ensuring equitable access to academic content, providing rigorous instruction, and supporting teachers in using materials that meet diverse student needs. TpT Express empowers teachers to deliver hands-on, engaging instruction that addresses language, literacy, and content knowledge—key pillars of OSD’s mission.
Project Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
Research on effective instruction for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students emphasizes visual supports, scaffolding, differentiation, and access to grade-level content through multiple modalities. TpT Express provides exactly these types of resources—created by teachers, for teachers—that can be modified for ASL-rich classrooms.
Purpose: To equip OSD teachers with effective, adaptable teaching tools that improve access and engagement for all students.
Goals:
Increase instructional quality by providing access to thousands of ready-to-use materials aligned to standards.
Reduce teacher workload in creating accessible materials from scratch.
Provide differentiated resources for students at varied language and academic levels.
Objectives:
By the end of the subscription year, 100% of OSD classroom teachers will have access to TpT Express.
At least 80% of OSD teachers will report increased efficiency in lesson planning.
At least 75% of teachers will report that TpT resources improved their ability to differentiate instruction.
Project Benefits
OSD serves a diverse population of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students from across Oregon, most of whom enter school with language delays or gaps in prior education. Teachers often must design lessons from scratch to meet these unique needs, which is time-consuming and limits access to broader curriculum resources.
By funding a TpT Express subscription:
Number of students benefitting: All OSD students will directly benefit through improved instruction.
How they benefit: Students will receive lessons enriched with visuals, interactive activities, scaffolding tools, and hands-on projects designed for diverse learners. TAG students will be challenged with extension activities, while students with language deprivation will gain scaffolded supports that build understanding.
Project Evaluation
The benefits of this project will be measured through:
Teacher surveys documenting frequency of TpT use and perceived effectiveness.
Samples of adapted TpT materials collected as evidence of classroom application.
Student engagement indicators (teacher observations, increased participation in activities).
Administrative review of lesson plans and instructional supports to ensure the subscription is actively used.
Results will be summarized in a report to FOSD within 60 days of project completion.
Proposed Budget
TpT Express Subscription (1-year, front-loaded account, starting funds): $1,000
Other efforts to obtain funding: OSD Teachers enjoyed a subscription as recently as last school year, and we consistently ran out of licenses because it was so well used. However, the Oregon Department of Education has determined that this valuable resource is “a conflict of interest,” asking The State to pay for materials from state teachers. They have denied our request to continue the subscription. We were asked to seek alternative funding.
Project Timeline
Start date: September 2025 (beginning of school year).
Subscription purchase: Immediately upon funding approval from FOSD.
Implementation: Teachers will begin using TpT Express resources in classrooms throughout the 2025–2026 school year.
Review & reporting: May–June 2026, with evaluation report submitted to FOSD by June 30, 2026.
Project Reporting and Accountability
Responsible for reporting: Gayle Robertson, Curriculum Specialist
Accountability: The OSD Principal and Instructional Leadership Team will oversee the subscription use. Gayle Robertson will ensure FOSD receives the final report within 60 days of project completion.
Documents
