What if the hardest part of bringing robotics, coding, and AI into your school wasn’t the teaching, but the paperwork to pay for it?
This past year, CodeJoy partnered with 7 Iowa school districts and school systems through the Iowa Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund (IACSPDIF). Together, those districts secured $194,143.60 in state funding for professional development and classroom hardware. We delivered 26 PD sessions to 150+ Iowa educators, who will carry what they learned to more than 9,200 students.
None of it started with a finished plan. Every one of these grants started with a teacher who had an idea and sent an email.
We want to share what happened this year. More importantly, we want to show you exactly how the grant-writing process works with CodeJoy, so you can do it too.
The Year at a Glance
| 7 districts and school systems funded | $194,143.60 in grant funding |
| 26 PD sessions delivered | 150+ educators trained |
| 825+ hours of professional development | 9,200+ students impacted |
| $101,863.60 in classroom hardware | 2 PD strands: Coding & Robotics and AI Literacy |
Our partner districts this year were Adair-Casey Guthrie Center (ACGC), Harlan Community School District, Iowa City Community School District, Montezuma Community School District, Roland-Story Community Schools, Unity Ridge Lutheran School, and Xavier Catholic Schools.
Over the past two years, CodeJoy has helped write grants for 17 Iowa schools and districts, and every one was funded.
Two Strands, One Goal
This year, professional development grew into two strands.
Coding & Robotics (20 sessions): Teachers built with micro:bit, Makey Makey, Hummingbird, Finch, Bee-Bot, and FarmBeats for Students. Two out of three teachers grew more confident both doing and teaching coding and robotics. Not a single teacher left a session less confident in doing it themselves. The biggest gains came from teachers who needed them most: 94% of teachers who started with low confidence in teaching coding grew more confident.
AI Literacy (6 sessions): Teachers explored Google Teachable Machine, micro:bit CreateAI, and AI tools they already use, including Canva, Google Gems, and Google Read Along. All three AI confidence measures showed statistically significant growth. We also learned something important: sessions tailored to a district’s own tools and grade levels produced the strongest results of the year.
For the statistics fans, our Coding & Robotics results showed effect sizes of d = 0.83 for doing and d = 0.79 for teaching. For comparison, one full year of schooling typically correlates with an effect size of about 0.3.
How Writing a Grant With CodeJoy Works
Grant writing can feel intimidating, especially when you’re already teaching full time. Our approach is simple: you bring the vision for your school, and we bring the experience. Here’s what the process looks like, step by step.
Step 1: Start With an Idea
It all begins with something you want for your students or your school. Maybe it’s a set of Finch robots for your elementary library, AI training for your staff, or FarmBeats kits to connect coding to Iowa agriculture. You don’t need a polished plan, just a starting point.
Step 2: Reach Out
Email Me! Amanda Jeane at amandajeane@codejoy.org or schedule a meeting. Share as much as you can: your school, your grade levels, what you already have, and what you’re dreaming about.
Step 3: Meeting #1, Make a Plan
In our first conversation, we share information back and forth. We talk about who needs to be involved, such as your administrator, your business office, or your instructional coach. Then we decide what you actually want to ask for: which PD courses, which hardware, and how many teachers. You’ll leave with a short homework list.
Step 4: Meeting #2, Confirmations
We report back on our homework, confirm the details, share writing resources, and start the writing process. This is also where I can walk you through how to use AI effectively in the writing process.
Step 5: Write Together
This is a truly back-and-forth process. You write, we edit. We write, you edit. CodeJoy takes the lead on sections we know well, such as PD descriptions, hardware justifications, and the budget narrative. You bring the heart of the application: your district’s story, your students, and your vision. We know what Iowa reviewers look for, and we help every section score well.
Step 6: Submit
Once everyone is happy with the application and all your stakeholders are on board, you submit.
Step 7: Celebrate and Get Started
When your award arrives, forward us the email. We will celebrate with you and then it’s time for the work to really get started. We set up a meeting to schedule your PD, order your hardware, and get everything moving.
Good to know: The IACSPDIF is a reimbursement grant. Your district pays for PD and hardware during the grant window, then submits paid invoices to the state for reimbursement. We’ll walk your business office through the timeline so there are no surprises.
Teachers Who Took the Leap
At Unity Ridge Lutheran School, teacher Amber Bissen has written the grant with CodeJoy more than once. This year, her staff explored Bee-Bot, micro:bit, FarmBeats for Students, and AI. One of her colleagues said it best:
“This has opened my eyes to what things are possible in my classroom! So thankful for the grant from Iowa that allows us to have these trainings!”
Shari, Math, ELA, Science & STEM, Unity Ridge Lutheran School
At Harlan Community School District, a core group of teachers kept coming back session after session, from Hummingbird to Makey Makey to Finch. By the end of the year, they were already looking ahead:
“You have helped our group grow soooo much. This includes helping core teachers and other classrooms to integrate computer science into their curriculum. Can’t wait to apply for more PD next year!”
Kyleigh, Computer Science, Harlan Community High School
At Iowa City Community School District, elementary librarians spent a day learning Finch robotics and AI literacy together:
“CodeJoy has always provided the best PD opportunities! Always practical, always well-planned, well-paced and empowering.”
Connie, STEM & Computer Science, Horn Elementary, Iowa City CSD
More From Iowa Teachers
“Amazing; knowledgeable; upbeat; gets us involved; so so enjoyable; best PD ever.”
Elizabeth, STEM & Gifted Education, Adair-Casey Elementary & AC/GC Junior High
“I loved that we were able to learn about the different parts of the kit but was also able to experience a lesson that we could use with our students.”
Michelle, Science & STEM, Roland-Story Middle School
“I can’t wait to do a project the first week with my HS students!”
Kathy, Math & Computer Science, Xavier High School
“I am walking away with practical and simple ways to implement what I’ve learned from this course into my middle school ELA and Religion classes.”
Liz, ELA & Religion, Unity Ridge Lutheran School
Thank You
A huge thank you to the Iowa Department of Education for investing in Iowa teachers through the CS PD Incentive Fund. Thank you to our school partners and the teachers who led the way, from writing grants to coaching colleagues to bringing robots into classrooms. And thank you to the CodeJoy team members who taught, troubleshot, scheduled, invoiced, and cheered every step of the way.
Your Turn: The 2026-27 Deadline Is November 1
The next IACSPDIF application is due November 1, 2026. If you’ve been thinking about bringing coding, robotics, or AI to your school, now is the time.
Here’s how to get started:
- Email Amanda Jeane at amandajeane@codejoy.org
- Or schedule a meeting
- Learn more about the Iowa CS PD Incentive Fund
Not in Iowa? Many states and national funders offer grants for CS, STEM, AI, outdoor learning, and environmental literacy. We’re happy to explore what’s out there for your school too.
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