Posted on January 21, 2011

Milwaukee Public Schools Receives $20 Million From GE Foundation

The GE Foundation has announced a five-year, $20 million grant to Milwaukee Public Schools for initiatives designed to improve academic achievement and better prepare students for college and career opportunities, with a focus on math and science programs.

Awarded through the foundation's Developing Futures in Education program, the grant will be used to develop a rigorous, system-wide math and science curriculum and provide teachers with career advancement assistance as well as training specifically designed to foster new ideas and approaches to teaching and mentoring students in their classrooms. The grant also will be used to support an ongoing relationship with GE volunteers, who will commit time and resources to special projects involving real-world scenarios and problem-solving.

Milwaukee is the seventh urban area to participate in the Developing Futures program, joining Atlanta; Cincinnati; Erie, Pennsylvania; Stamford, Connecticut; New York City; and Jefferson County, Kentucky. The latest grant will affect the education of students throughout the MPS system, which comprises 184 schools, including 118 elementary schools, eight middle schools, 40 high schools, and 18 schools with combined grades.

"The GE Foundation grant will help us provide our students with cutting-edge resources and educational programs that will better position many for college and, ultimately, careers as our nation's future engineers, doctors, and scientists," said MPS superintendent Gregory Thornton. "We are deeply grateful to GE and the GE Foundation for their commitment to Milwaukee's young students and for partnering with our city's educators to improve the state of our schools, and, in turn, our communities."