Two philanthropies will provide nearly $2.5 million to help two existing and three planned charter schools in New Orleans in the network of the Knowledge Is Power Program, or KIPP.
The five schools eventually will serve more than 2,400 students. As of this school year, the national network has 52 schools in 16 states and the District of Columbia.
The Los Angeles-based Broad Foundation will provide $2 million for the effort, while the New York City-based U.S. Fund for UNICEF, a nonprofit organization, will pay $450,000.
Since Hurricane Katrina struck a year ago, charter schools have begun to play a major role in educating the city’s students, with more than half of the public schools this fall operating as charters. (“56 New Orleans Schools to Accept Students for New Year,” July 12, 2006.)
