LeBron James Family Foundation ‘I Promise’ School Approved for Akron

The Akron School Board approved the plan put forth by the LeBron James Family Foundation to build an “I Promise” school in the city, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

Per that report, the school “will be geared toward educating students who are at risk of falling behind. It will have longer days and begin classes in the summer—weeks before other district schools—to encourage information retention.”

LeBron James spoke about the plans for the school in a statement in April when the project was announced, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today:

“This school is so important to me because our vision is to create a place for the kids in Akron who need it most—those that could fall through the cracks if we don’t do something. We’ve learned over the years what works and what motivates them, and now we can bring all of that together in one place along with the right resources and experts. If we get to them early enough, we can hopefully keep them on the right track to a bigger and brighter future for themselves and their families.”

The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018, and students will be chosen via a lottery system.

It will initially include third- and fourth-graders before expanding to first and second grade by fall of 2019, according to Zillgitt. By 2022, the school is expected to include grades one through eight.