Thanks, Mr. & Mrs. Gates!

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Apr 19, 2006 11:23AM

In its largest single grant ever awarded to a local school district, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given 21 million buckeroos to the Chicago Public Schools system. What for? The grant is to set up a more challenging curriculum in high school English, math, and science so that kids will be able to better prepare for college. Also, teachers will get better training. Woot!!

The foundation money is a big part of the district's "transformation project" that's supposed to lower drop-out rates and help ensure students who go on to college do well and graduate.

Starting in the fall, 14 schools will get the new course of study. After that, about 50 other schools will eventually get the new cirriculum.

Btw, we were wondering why they chose to give Chicago so much money ... they're not from here, right? Are we that bad off? Then we clicked over to the Gates Foundation website and saw a photo of Bill & Melinda with Oprah ... figures that she's somehow involved!