Cleveland schools receive $20M from Mackenzie Scott

CLEVELAND — Cleveland schools have received a $20 million donation from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The private donation is the largest the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has received in at least two decades, according to a news release. CMSD plans to use it to create a Get More Opportunities Fund, as it strives to create student travel opportunities for college visits and learning, along with educator opportunities in tuition and training.

The fund will also focus on making improvements in areas like athletic equipment, musical instruments and science labs.

The school board will be requested to approve Scott’s donation when it meets Tuesday night.

The Cleveland Foundation will administer the fund, and the district will disburse the money in five annual installments of $4 million plus interest, a news release says.

Gordon expressed the district’s appreciation for Scott’s donation, as CMSD did not ask for the money.

“We are very grateful for this incredible gift,” CEO Eric Gordon said in the release. “It will give our scholars exposure to travel and other experiences that will broaden their world view and make their education more meaningful.

“We also will be able to invest more deeply in professional development for staff and make improvements in facilities and equipment.”

Scott has helped over 300 organizations in the past seven months, donating nearly $2 billion. She wrote a note earlier this month about her work in helping underserved communities. Most of her donations have been to funds, which she wrote are “a great resource.”

“It’s appropriate that CMSD is announcing this amazingly generous gift the week of Thanksgiving,” Helen Williams of the Cleveland Foundation said in the release. “The fact that the District was selected ... speaks volumes about the work Eric Gordon and his team have done.”