By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia’s collaboration among public, charter, and Catholic schools is getting a financial shot in the arm from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The effort among Philadelphia’s district, charter, and archdiocesan schools known as the “Great Schools Compact” has received a $2.5-million grant from the Gates Foundation.

The money will be managed by the Philadelphia School Partnership and used to train principals for “turnaround” schools, train teacher coaches, and develop tests that line up with Common Core standards.

“Many of Philadelphia’s schools already have different kinds of management and leadership going on, and you are no stranger to any of that,” Vicki Phillips, director of college-ready education for the Gates Foundation (third from right in photo), said today.  “And we think that you have an opportunity here to set such an important example for the rest of the country.”

Philadelphia is one of seven US cities getting Gates money over the next three years.