UW Programs Get Millions From Gates

Wed., Sept. 6, 2000

From Staff

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given $5.7 million to a University of Washington institute to help eight urban school districts nationwide collaborate to create small secondary schools.

The UW’s Institute for K-12 Leadership will help the schools use technology, create learning opportunities outside the classroom, and foster relationships between students and mentors.

The eight districts involved are in Detroit; Cleveland; Cincinnati; East Saint Louis, Ill.; Kansas City, Mo.; Boston; Compton, Calif.; and San Francisco.

The Gates Foundation also gave $750,000 to the UW Center on Reinventing Public Education for the Small Schools Program, which will help groups nationwide that are creating small schools.

“A growing body of research indicates that a key of student success is a small, personalized learning environment,” said Tom Vander Ark, executive director of education for the foundation. “The Foundation is investing in emerging programs, such as these two at the University of Washington, that are engaged in creating innovative education settings.”

Founded by Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, the Gates Foundation has an asset base of $21.8 billion and provides money primarily for health care and education.

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