John,

The achievement gaps between Black students and their peers in public education are some of America's most persistent challenges. And after two years of devastating learning loss caused by COVID-19 disruptions, the systemic issues facing millions of Black students have grown dramatically.

But data and experience point to a promising solution: Public charter schools, staffed by diverse teachers and administrators.

Today Mike and Dr. Michael Lomax, President and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), announced a $10 million investment to work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to start new public charter schools in the South -- where more than half of America's Black students live -- and recruit substantially more Black teachers and principals to work in them.

Mike and Dr. Lomax outlined the initiative in an op-ed published today in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The funding, from Bloomberg Philanthropies, will support an initiative at UNCF and build on its work with HBCUs. The partnership with HBCUs will ensure that the growth of charter schools in these areas is responsive to and rooted in the needs of Black communities. The investments could incubate new public charter schools on HBCU campuses, help alumni to start new charters, and support community-led efforts to open and expand charters.

Demand for high-quality charters is soaring, and students across the country are stuck on waiting lists. This effort will advance Bloomberg Philanthropies' goal, announced in December 2021, of creating 150,000 new classroom seats in high-quality charter schools in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas.

At the same time, schools everywhere are facing teacher shortages. By working with HBCUs and their schools of education, this initiative will help ensure a steady pipeline of talented, highly trained Black teachers. Studies show that having Black teachers at a young age has a meaningful impact on college attendance rates for Black students.

Today's investments and the partnerships they build will help tackle the urgent challenges facing students in the aftermath of the pandemic, and lay a foundation for progress that has been elusive for generations of students.

Take a moment to read the full message from Mike and Dr. Lomax:

https://www.ajc.com/education/get-schooled-blog/opinion-a-10-million-initiative-with-hbcus-will-spur-charter-schools/WHZOBG2L7ZBANCBIPI4WRSVMGM/

Thanks,

MikeBloomberg.com