Developing Innovators
PEF develops innovators who drive impact across entire schools and districts.
Our Programs


A yearlong fellowship for Hamilton County Schools classroom teachers and instructional coaches exploring responsible AI in real classrooms.


Fund for Teachers awards grants of $5,000 for PreK-12 teachers to design and pursue self-directed professional learning experiences anywhere in the world—from studying marine biology in the Galápagos to exploring civil rights history in the American South—bringing transformative knowledge back to their students.

PEF STEM Fellows
STEM Fellows is a year-long professional development cohort for public school educators who want to transform their teaching practice through problem-based learning, inquiry teaching, and technology integration—and develop the leadership skills to drive change beyond their classroom.


Public Education Forward leads Volkswagen eLabs to provide public school students access to state-of-the-art digital fabrication labs that transform learning and empower students to "make almost anything."
Our Events



A hands-on challenge where students put their problem-solving, collaboration, and cybersecurity skills to the test.
Important Information
The 2026 AI Innovation Fellows have been selected. Learn more about the program.
Resources
Technology Lending Library
Thanks to a partnership between the Public Education Foundation and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, we are pleased to offer public school teachers in the southeast Tennessee region free access to our technology lending library.



