Largest-Ever Single Corporate Contribution to New York City Public Schools
GE Foundation Awards Additional $11 Million in Related Education Grants to
City Organizations
NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and GE
Chairman and CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt today announced that the GE Foundation,
the philanthropic organization of General Electric Company, has awarded the
New York City Department of Education (DOE) a five-year grant of $17.9
million, the largest-ever single corporate contribution to New York City
public school system. The grant will support initiatives to better prepare
middle school students for college and career opportunities, with a
particular focus on improving achievement in math and science. Funding will
underwrite a pilot program in approximately 10 northern Manhattan schools,
where school leadership teams will select from a menu of school improvement
strategies. The grant is part of the GE Foundation Developing Futures in
Education program, a $130 million commitment to ensure that U.S. students
are equipped to compete in an increasingly global economy. The Mayor and
Mr. Immelt were joined by Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Schools
Chancellor Joel I. Klein in St. Nicholas Park Plaza in Harlem.
"Public-private partnerships like this one with the GE Foundation have
been essential to our success in turning around a failing public school
system," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This generous grant will help to prepare
our students to be the leaders of the 21st century economy which will be
built on science, math and technology. Working through special programs
like this, the GE Foundation is helping our students acquire critically
important skills and helping to create the next generation of potential GE
job applicants."
"At GE we recognize that our future and America's ability to compete
globally are fully dependent upon today's students, which is why the
greatest focus of our charitable giving continues to be secondary math and
science education," said Mr. Immelt. "Our goal is to equip New York City's
students with the skills they need to become tomorrow's leading engineers
and breakthrough scientists."
The DOE will use the GE Foundation grant to develop a pilot program in
select northern Manhattan schools serving middle school students. The
details of the pilot program are being finalized and will likely encompass
a range of school improvement strategies including curricular and
instructional innovations; school structure or schedule reconfigurations;
teacher and leadership development; academic, social, and youth development
services; and family and community engagement -- all with the goal of
achieving the highest standards for student achievement.
The GE Foundation grant comes at a time when City educators are
stepping up efforts to improve student outcomes in the middle grades, which
are considered the most challenging area in education today both in New
York City and the nation. The skills required for academic achievement
change dramatically between elementary and middle school, when students
transition from mastering basic concepts to engaging in higher-order
critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The grant will help New York
City's educators determine how best to create the conditions necessary for
student success in the middle grades. As the program is evaluated, DOE
plans to expand successful initiatives citywide, possibly as early as 2009.
"Our nation can no longer afford to see math and science scores fall
further and further behind our toughest international competition," said
Congressman Rangel. "We need a 21st century education system that equips
our students with the skills that are needed to compete in today's hi-tech
global economy. GE's initiative is the kind of public-private partnership
that we need to give our young people the classroom resources they need to
succeed at home and abroad."
"This GE Foundation grant will help us address what remains one of our
biggest challenges, improving academic performance in middle school," said
Chancellor Klein. "We thank the GE Foundation for its dedication to our
City's young people and for its sustained leadership in partnering with
educators to solve urgent problems that affect the success of our students
and our city."
The New York City Department of Education serves 1.1 million students
-- more than any other district nationwide, allowing the GE Foundation
grant to affect the future of hundreds of thousands of young New Yorkers.
Today's announcement deepens the GE Foundation's enduring commitment to
education in New York City, which began more than 15 years ago.
In addition to the nearly $18 million grant to the Department of
Education the GE Foundation is providing in support of this initiative, and
is also awarding a total of $11 million in grants to Columbia University
Teachers College, the Council for Opportunity in Education, College for
Every Student, and the Harlem Children's Zone. By combining these grants
with the award to the Department of Education, a framework for solutions
will be developed that will benefit students citywide.
New York is the sixth city to participate in the Developing Futures
program, formerly the College Bound District Program, since 2005. In
addition to the $29 million in grants, the GE Foundation covers costs
associated with evaluation and implementation of its programs. Other
participating school districts are Atlanta, Ga.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Erie,
Pa.; Louisville, Ky.; and Stamford, Conn. which received grants under the
College Bound District Program. The GE Foundation Developing Futures
program was launched in September 2005 as an expansion of the College Bound
School Program, which started in 1989. The expanded program aims to raise
math and science achievement in secondary education and at the same time
equip a larger percentage of students for college. The model enables
systemic change across entire school districts. For more information on the
Developing Futures program, go to http://www.ge.com/foundation .
About the GE Foundation
The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the General
Electric Company, works to strengthen educational access, equity, and
quality for disadvantaged youth globally, and supports GE employee and
retiree giving and involvement in GE communities around the world. In 2007,
the GE family of businesses, employees, retirees and GE Foundation
contributed more than $210 million to community and educational programs,
including $93 million from the GE Foundation. For more information, visit
http://www.gefoundation.com.
About GE
GE is Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and
financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest
problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power
generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging,
business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE
serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000
people worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ge.com.
Contact: Stu Loeser / Dawn Walker (212) 788-2958
David Cantor (DOE) (212) 374-5141
Frank Mantero (GE) (203) 373-3534
Elbert Garcia (Rangel) (212) 663-3900
SOURCE The GE Foundation
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Related links:
http://www.ge.com/foundation
http://www.ge.com
CONTACT:
Stu Loeser or Dawn Walker, +1-212-788-2958,
for The GE Foundation; or David Cantor, +1-212-374-5141, of
Department of Education; or Frank Mantero, +1-203-373-3534, of
General Electric Company; or Elbert Garcia, +1-212-663-3900, of
Rangel
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