The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday awarded $6 million to Drexel University to improve opportunities and outcomes at seven schools in West Philadelphia.
The grant came as part of the department's Promise Neighborhoods competition, under which $33 million will go to support children and families nationwide.
The city schools - a mix of traditional public and charters - are West Philadelphia High; Science Leadership Academy Middle School; Locke, McMichael, Powel and Martha Washington Elementaries; and Belmont Charter School.
Three thousand Philadelphia students will benefit from the grant, officials said.
Education Secretary John B. King Jr. made the announcement at a news conference Tuesday.
"A child's zip code should never determine their destiny," King said. "We have to nurture the potential of students in every community."
A two-mile stretch of West Philadelphia encompassing Mantua and parts of Powelton, West Powelton, and Belmont was first designated a "Promise Zone" by the Obama administration in 2014. That designation brought not an influx of federal money, but instead attention and benefits, including AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers, designed to help tackle the problems of persistent poverty.
Tuesday's grant advances that purpose, officials said.
In neighborhoods adjacent to the Promise Zone, the knowledge economy has fueled growth, but inside the zone, unemployment is high and opportunities are few.
To read the full article by Kristen Graham, click here.
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