Picture of tools (markers and crayons) hanging in aisle at Teaching Tools Resource Center, two teachers blurred out in the background, Hillsborough Education Foundation

Teaching Tools Resource Center

An important message about COVID-19

While the work of our mission to strengthen public education in Hillsborough County continues, we have closed our office to guests—including our Teaching Tools Resource Center—based on the CDC’s recommendations for COVID-19. The safety of our shoppers, volunteers and staff is of utmost concern. We are working on innovative ways to continue to get core school supplies into the hands of our students who need them most. We are creating orders for distribution to each Title I school for July and August and providing resources to our new teachers at Title I schools by invitation only.

Beginning August 17, 2020, teachers at Title I schools can place an online order (through our Teacher Portal) for pick-up from our office located at 2306 N. Howard Avenue through at least December. Teachers may place one order from August 17 – September 20. Beginning in October, online ordering will take place from the 1st of the month through the 20th of each month. Watch your district email for our new distribution plan for the 2020-2021 school year.

We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing situation and make informed decisions to help protect the health and safety of our community. Updated information will be shared on our website and social media channels, and we encourage you to visit often to learn about reopening plans and additional announcements.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our mission to strengthen public education in Hillsborough County.

Empowering teachers with the resources and support you need to be effective in the classroom is critical for student achievement.

At our Teaching Tools Resource Center, teachers in Hillsborough County’s Title I schools can shop for free core school supplies and other resources once a month. Our Teaching Tools Resource Center is managed and operated by Hillsborough Education Foundation and staffed by dedicated volunteers.

Hours & Location

School Year Shopping Hours 

Monday, August 5, 2019 – Thursday, May 21, 2020

Mondays:  2:30 – 5 p.m.
Wednesdays: 3 – 6 p.m.
Thursdays: 3 – 6 p.m.
2nd & 4th Saturday shopping: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

*Please Note: Teachers will be admitted into the building 30 minutes prior to shopping time Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and 15 minutes prior to shopping time on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

Location

2306 N. Howard Ave.
Tampa, FL  33607
Phone: (813) 574-0260
Get Directions 

Monthly Specials

Click here for our monthly specials flyer.

Who Can Shop

Qualifying Hillsborough County Public Schools teachers are invited to shop once a month—last year that averaged $289 per shopping trip in FREE supplies.

  • Full-time Teachers
  • Social Workers
  • Resource Teachers
  • Principals
  • Assistant Principals
  • School Psychologists
  • VE, PE, Art & Music Teachers
  • ESOL Teachers
  • Speech Therapists/Pathologists
  • Guidance Counselors
  • Media Specialists
  • Instructional Coaches
  • Resident Educators

Aides and paraprofessionals may only shop on behalf of a teacher using our Substitute Shopper Program, outlined below.

Full-Service Schools
All full-time teachers and designated faculty at Hillsborough County Public Schools Title I schools can shop once a month (July – May) for an average of $289 in free school supplies.

Click here to determine if your school is approved for shoppers as a Full-Service School.

One-Representative Schools
At One-Representative schools the principal assigns one shopper and one alternate shopper to serve as the designated shopper for the school. This shopper can shop once a month (July – May) for an average of $1,000 or more in free school supplies.

Click here to determine if your school is approved for shoppers as a One-Representative School.

Volunteer-to-Shop Schools
All full-time Hillsborough County Public Schools teachers at schools that we currently do not serve at Full-Service schools can volunteer 3 hours a month at the Teaching Tools Resource Center to earn a free shopping trip. Teachers at One-Representative schools are eligible to volunteer to shop.

Getting Started

It is easy to become a shopper at our Teaching Tools Resource Center. Just follow the simple steps below. We look forward to your first visit.

Step 1. Review our Policies & Eligibility Form. 
Step 2. Access our portal to create a login and schedule your shopping day. Our reservation process ensures that we can provide the best customer service possible.

You can schedule your shopping trip up to 90 days in advance, whether you plan to shop or plan to assign a substitute shopper to pick up supplies for you.

Logging in to the portal is easy, all you need are two items: Your district email address and your district assigned “Lawson number”.

Example:

Step 3. Remember to bring your photo ID and signed Policies & Eligibility Form with you on your shopping day.

How to Substitute Shop

Teachers at Full-Service Schools may shop for himself/herself and up to 2 other teachers per shopping trip. Paraprofessionals and aides may shop on behalf of up to 2 teachers per shopping trip.

To assign a substitute shopper to shop for you:
  • Log in to the Teaching Tools Resource Center online Teacher Portal.
  • Find the teacher in the dropdown menu who you would like to reassign to your eligible shopping visit to and click CHANGE.
  • Let your assigned substitute shopper know when the change is made, so he/she can schedule a shopping trip.

If you would like a paraprofessional, aide or assistant teacher from your school to shop on your behalf, please email Malia Howard at [email protected] to request your substitute shopper’s name be added into our system. Please include the substitute shopper’s: full name, Lawson number, school and district email address. We will email you once your substitute shopper has been added and can schedule a shopping day. Please note: to schedule any further shopping days for yourself, you will need to remove your designated shopper and select your name. Your substitute shopper designation must be reassigned each school year.

The paraprofessional/aide/fellow teacher shopper must show a school ID and work at the same school as the person he/she is representing.

*The Substitute Shopper Program does not apply to free shopping vouchers.

 

Contact Malia Howard at [email protected] or (813) 574-0260 Ext: 0 for questions or to schedule a volunteer opportunity at our Teaching Tools Resource Center.