Walton Foundation Makes $5M Grant To Philadelphia Schools
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The foundation started by the family that founded Wal-Mart is making a multi-million dollar grant to Philadelphia schools.
This is not cash that immediately helps the district's budget crisis. It's a $5 million challenge grant from the Walton Family Foundation to the Philadelphia School Partnership -- a three-year-old nonprofit that funds so-called "high quality seats" in Philadelphia schools. Partnership executive director Mark Gleason says it's attracted some national attention.
"In the past year now, we've seen an investment by the Gates Foundation, by the Dell Foundation and now by the Walton Foundation, which are three of the largest national education funders," Gleason said.
The Partnership, through its Great Schools Fund, gives money to create and expand district, charter and private schools.
