(Nov. 20) -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $290 million to three school districts and five charter groups. The donation is the foundation's largest education grant in a decade, The New York Times has reported.
The foundation pledged $100 million to the Hillsborough County, Fla., schools; $90 million to the Memphis schools; and $40 million to the Pittsburgh public schools. Some $60 million will go to five charter management organizations based in Los Angeles.
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Michel Euler/AP
Melinda and Bill Gates announced their foundation's largest grant for education in a decade.
A separate $45 million research initiative will study 3,700 teachers in six cities, including New York, to determine what makes a teacher effective, in hopes that districts nationwide will adopt the practices identified as successful.
The two projects announced Thursday represent a shift in strategy for the foundation, which previously focused on smaller grants to troubled high schools. The goal of the larger grants is to reform teacher management policies, according to the New York Times.
In a conference call, Melinda Gates said high-achieving districts have shown “extraordinary commitment” to tackling tough issues. “So this is actually doable.”
To read more, go to The New York Times.
