LeBron James’ School At Rock-Bottom Of Test Scores

LeBron James’ “I Promise” school, located in the heart of Akron, Ohio, is under heavy scrutiny from the Akron Public School Board. Recent data brought to light an alarming fact: for three consecutive years, not one incoming 8th grader at the school has passed the Ohio state math test.

In the face of this astounding information, board member Valerie McKitrick exclaimed in disbelief, “Not one? In three years?” The unfortunate truth, confirmed by Keith Liechty-Clifford, the district director of school improvement, is that the school’s performance has been dismal, despite substantial support from the James Foundation and other funding sources.

With this revelation, the Ohio Department of Education is stepping in to help the failing school. This effort is a desperate attempt to reverse the declining trend in test performance and address the critical challenges that the school is experiencing. 

The “I Promise” school, an initiative by the LeBron James Family Foundation, opened its doors in July 2018 with a mission to serve the most at-risk students and families in Akron. The school provides numerous facilities, including free tuition, uniforms, transportation, meals, and a food pantry for families. Students from the district, who are in the bottom 25% of reading scores, are selected for this school through a lottery.

However, despite this abundance of resources, the school’s performance has been severely disappointing. School Board President Derrick Hall voiced his dissatisfaction, saying, “For me as a board member, I just think about all the resources that we’re providing. And I just, I’m just disappointed that I don’t think, it doesn’t appear like we’re seeing the kind of change that we would expect to see.”

Furthermore, despite the considerable annual financial support from the LeBron James Family Foundation, the school’s performance has not substantially improved. The test scores are in the bottom 5% for the entire state, with the most underprivileged demographics, including Black students and those with disabilities, faring even worse.

Although the “I Promise” school was founded with an honorable mission and seemed like a promising initiative, it’s clear that good intentions and hefty funding are not enough. It is crucial to employ effective educational strategies and maintain high academic standards to truly bring about a transformation. For now, the “I Promise” school remains an unfulfilled promise.