LeBron James-backed ‘I Promise School’ yields ‘discouraging’ results: NO eighth grader has passed state math test in three years

I Promise School, funded in part by LeBron James and his foundation, has come under intense state scrutiny after alarming test results emerged.

Akron, Ohio. the public school, which operates in conjunction with the LeBron James Family Foundation, has not had a single student in its eighth grade fall cohort pass the state math test since third grade, according to Akron Beacon Log.

James’ selfless endeavor saw him help the school open in 2018 to serve “students who are already behind and at risk of falling through the cracks”, according to his website.

Although there was data that revealed that students at the school had improved from year to year, some had actually slipped since attending I Promise.

According to the Journal, its black and disabled students are testing “in the bottom 5 percent” in Ohio.

James is known for giving back to the underprivileged in his hometown

School board chairman Derrick Hall says the current state of the school is disheartening.

“For me, as a board member, I just think of all the resources that we provide,” Hall said, via the Journal. “And I’m just, I’m just disappointed that I don’t think, it doesn’t look like we’re seeing the kind of change that we would expect to see.”

Keith Liechty-Clifford, director of school improvement for the district, echoed that sentiment in the same report.

“It’s disheartening,” he said of the eighth graders’ results. According to the Journal, Liechty-Clifford posted data that showed both progression and regression at the Akron school.

Students proficient in reading had more than doubled, from 6% to 13%, compared to those moving from fourth to fifth grade, according to the Journal report. However, those in the sixth year class of 2022 had only 2% proficiency, compared to a rate of 7% during their fifth year studies.

The school receives state, local, and federal funds in a way that is no different from other public schools. By a 2018 Cleveland Plain dealer reportthe school costs taxpayers about $8 million a year.

The James’ Family Foundation, which reportedly donates $1.4 million each year for more tutors and teachers, released a statement on Monday.

“When we began this work to nurture students through education, we entered into this partnership with Akron Public School for the long term,” it read.

“Because this job requires a long-term commitment, hard work and lots of love and care. And that’s what we bring every day because I Promise School is more than a school.

“We are here for the highs and the lows, and we will continue to surround our students and their entire families so that they can succeed in school and in life, regardless of the challenges and obstacles that come their way. .”