One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Walton Foundation gives $15M to promote charter schools
Charter schools supporters rally for L.A. Unified reform plan.
(
Kevin Ferguson/KPCC
)
Listen
0:50
Walton Foundation gives $15M to promote charter schools
Walton Foundation gives $15M to promote charter schools
Advocates of charter schools in California will get $15 million from the foundation established by the founders of the Wal-Mart stores.
The Walton Family Foundation donated the money to the California Charter Schools Association to grow the charter school population in the state by 100,000 students in the next three years. The foundation wants to see a significant part of that growth happen in the L.A. Unified School District, the largest in the state.
The donation comes as the federal government has slashed a large portion of the grant money it gives California to create new charter schools. Observers also say a new batch of laws approved last month in Sacramento will rein in the speedy growth of charters.
One of the laws force charters to make higher improvements in test scores for the schools to remain open.
There are about 900 charter schools in California. L.A. Unified’s seen the largest growth, with about a quarter of all charters located in district boundaries.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
