Pro-charter school philanthropic group says it will give to traditional schools too, but not yet | 89.3 KPCC Pro-charter school philanthropic group says it will give to traditional schools too, but not yet

The Los Angeles-based Great Public Schools Now announced on Thursday that its first batch of grants totaling $4.5 million would go to a charter school, an after-school program and the teacher preparation program Teach for America.

“Regardless of whether they are charter schools or pilots or magnets or traditional district schools, if it’s working, we will be there to support,” said Myrna Castrejon, director of Great Public Schools Now.

branch of Teach for America which places beginning teachers in charter and public schools and the after school program Heart of L.A., which serves traditional and charter school students in L.A.’s MacArthur Park area. Both said an increase in charter schools would siphon students and money that could lead to the school district’s bankruptcy.

He said the group’s philanthropic funds should go directly to the school district for school board members to give out to hire more teachers and counselors.

Great Public Schools Now leaders said they wanted non-charter schools to be in the first batch of grantees but it’s taken time to sit down with school district leaders to make that happen.