(WORLD TRIBUNE) – The I Promise School, an elementary school in Akron, Ohio, was founded by NBA superstar LeBron James with the intent of helping students who had preformed poorly in other public schools.
“Seeing himself in the faces of Akron’s youth, he’s dedicated his time and resources to eliminating many of the barriers most inner-city students and families face. He’s rolled all of his philanthropic efforts into the I Promise School, which he considers one of the greatest achievements of his lifetime,” says the school’s website.
Evidently, James has not dedicated nearly enough time or resources to the school. Since 2019, not a single 8th grade student at I Promise School has passed the state’s math proficiency exam, according to a review by the Akron Beacon Journal. Only 11 percent of 8th grade students were able to pass the state’s English proficiency exam. As a result of the poor academic performances, the school was designated an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) School, which requires intervention from the state.
