Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg will donate millions of dollars to charter schools across the city to create a summer school program to help students overcome educational challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bloomberg’s philanthropic organization will fund the bulk of a $50 million initiative that aims to pay state-funded but privately-run charter schools to develop a free camp and remedial program this summer for about 25,000 elementary and middle school students, Bloomberg said at a news conference. alongside Mayor Adams.
The new initiative is separate from the one previously announced by the city’s Department of Education Summer Rising Program, which is expected to enroll 110,000 city children in a combined school and enrichment program. The city’s program is open to students in traditional public schools and charter schools, while the new Bloomberg initiative will be run by charters for children enrolled in charter schools.
“This is a grant for the most needy, charter school kids who have been left behind, to give them extra work in charter schools,” Bloomberg said at a press conference. at the town hall. “The founders thought they would like to try to help their children and then be a role model for everyone else.”
Bloomberg estimated that it will cover about two-thirds of the $50 million. The rest will be covered by other donors.
About 240 charter schools across the city are eligible to apply for funding from Bloomberg’s Summer Boost initiative. Participating schools can either adopt a predefined curriculum or come up with their own academic plan.
The program will prioritize children who have fallen farthest behind and seek to address learning loss with “extra help and intensive instruction,” Bloomberg said.
Adams touted the importance of the city’s summer programs for children and said the Bloomberg initiative will build on the city’s Summer Rising program and summer youth employment program, which provide jobs for older teenagers and young adults.
“It complements the work our city is already doing,” Adams said. “Our children need a structured education throughout the year to catch up and surpass themselves.”
Bloomberg, who oversaw a massive expansion of charter schools in the city during his time as mayor, recently pledged to spend $750 million of his personal fortune over the next five years to financially support charter schools.
The $50 million Summer Boost initiative is separate from that pledge, he said.