Developing Innovators

PEF develops innovators who drive impact across entire schools and districts.

Our Programs

AI Innovation Fellows meeting
PEF AI Innovation Fellows

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

Two teacher fellows smiling together at their end-of-trip showcase, hosted at PEF's office.
PEF AI Innovation Fellows

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.

A group of educators sitting around a table, designing a project.

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.

Two elementary students smiling, working on a project assigned by their eLab instructor.
PEF AI Innovation Fellows

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 teacher standing up in a fabrication lab working on a hands on project.

July 8-10, 2026 in Chattanooga, TN Registration: $150 per person; Early Bird: 50% OFF

Two male highschool students designing their own video game at BlueSky Game Design challenge.

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.

Our Team