Watch the full CBS News Colorado story.
Philanthropist Mackenzie Scott is donating $6 million to KIPP Colorado Public Schools, a network of six public charter schools in Denver.
It’s the largest single donation KIPP has ever received, and the largest sum Scott has awarded to a Colorado charter school network. Scott also gifted $4.5 million to Rocky Mountain Prep in October.
Taamiti Bankole, chief external affairs officer for KIPP, called Scott’s gift a “surprise,” and he credited the network’s educators, families and students with making the schools worthy of the large donation.
“We are so humbled by it, we just love the recognition, and it’s all because of our students and staff,” Bankole said.
The money will be used to provide additional mental health support to students; create pathways for KIPP alumni to work in the network; and to invest in data systems focused on classroom instruction, Bankole told CBS4.