Can LeBron James Be Blamed for ‘I Promise’ School’s Students Failing Math Tests?

Having amassed more than a billion dollars, LeBron James remains committed to his roots. He is currently residing in Los Angeles, but his heart beats the loudest for Akron. This is where he began his journey, this is where he became the high school kid who swept the nation. It is natural that the Kid from Akron wants to give back to the city from where he rose to the top.

To showcase his commitment to the city, The Chosen One helped fund I Promise School. The school aims to provide educational assistance to “at-risk” students in Akron. But his plan to bring transformation has hit a hiccup.

Can LeBron James be blamed for the poor test results?

LeBron James Family Foundation is the major supporter of I Promise Schools. In 2011, the Akron Hammer decided to research the underlying causes of the high school dropouts in his home city. His findings led him to start the “I Promise” initiative. He pitched a proposal of creating I Promise School to the Akron school board. In 2018, the collaboration between the two led to the creation of this school. 

The LeBron James Family Foundation donated $2 million to start the proceedings while the board made an elaborate investment plan too. Overall, the school costs $8 million per year, a price largely carried by the taxpayers. The school promised to elevate the academic prospects of students from the first to eighth grade and prepare them for advanced levels. 

However, things haven’t panned out in that direction. This year, the Akron Public School Board members expressed outrage after learning that not a single upcoming eighth grader qualified for the state-level maths test. This has been the case for three years. 

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So, in this case, who is to blame?

Peeling the layers 

LeBron James is just a supporter of the school that provides economic aid. He has given money for equipment, dresses, teachers, and various other necessities. He doesn’t make the decisions regarding the teaching and learning strategy. The onus here falls upon the administration of the school. Apart from that, the IPS is not a typical school, more than a quarter of people have a disability and most of the students come from the vulnerable sections.

The school is also a departure from the traditional model because students follow a nine-to-five routine while having meals with their teachers. In 2019, NYT reported that more than 90% of the students surpassed expectations in terms of test results. Considering that the school was opened just five years ago, it is too early to call this a failure. 

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At any rate, LBJ has got nothing to do with the poor test results. I Promise School is among many schools in the USA that produce such results. The higher level of scrutiny comes because it has James’ imprints over it.