Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, is financing efforts to expand charter schools around the country with $750 million from his $70 billion fortune. The donation, which will be made over five years, is $300 million more than the entire 2021 Congressional allotment to the federal Charter Schools Program, which supports existing charter schools and opens new ones.

The plan is to create 150,000 new seats in charter schools in 20 metropolitan areas, including New York City.

Bloomberg announced the donation on Dec. 1, in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, citing as his motivation the COVID-19 pandemic and the learning loss from school building closures.

Carol Burris, the executive director of the Network for Public Education, said she is “shocked that he would use the tragedy of COVID to further what has been his long-held agenda, which is to replace public schools with charter schools.”

As mayor, Bloomberg oversaw a major expansion in charter schools in New York City and has since supported pro-charter school board candidates around the country 

The Washington Post, Dec. 1
The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 1