OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - The philanthropic arm of San Francisco-based software firm Salesforce donated $2.5 million to the Oakland Unified School District today to improve computer science education.
Oakland schools superintendent Antwan Wilson said in a statement, "We all want our students to have equitable access to instruction in science; technology, engineering and math (STEM), and we also know we cannot do it alone.
Wilson said, "Our partnership with Salesforce.org will help us give our students critical instruction in computer science and math, fostering deeper student engagement and better preparing them for success in the workforce of the future."
Salesforce.org officials also announced they are donating $6 million to the San Francisco Unified School District.
Salesforce.org officials said the funding is part of its fourth consecutive year of partnering with San Francisco schools and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and marks a new partnership with Oakland's schools and Mayor
Libby Schaaf.
The donations were celebrated at an event at the Frick Impact Academy in East Oakland today.
Schaaf said the donation helps support her ambitious effort, which is called Oakland Promise, to triple the number of low-income college graduates coming out of her city's public schools in the next ten years.
She said in a statement, "I am thrilled to partner with Saleforce.org to offer more opportunities for Oakland students and teachers.
As a result of the partnership, the number of students with access to computer science classes, more personalized math instruction, and college and career support will dramatically increase."
Schaaf said, "The partnership will also allow us to expand "future centers" to middle schools as part of the Oakland Promise, our 'cradle to career' initiative with the goal of tripling the number of college graduates from Oakland within a decade."
Oakland school officials said the new funding will create a pilot innovation fund at six middle schools, increase STEM programming to develop robust career pathways and increase the number of black and Latino students in STEM fields.
It also will provide increased support for teaching mathematics and launch "future centers" to expand students' college and career awareness through campus events, college tours, college and career fairs and job-shadowing opportunities.
In addition to the funding, Salesforce employees will volunteer 20,000 hours in Bay Area schools during the 2016-2017 school year.
The company said it also plans to adopt 26 schools in San Francisco and Oakland as well as an additional 19 others around the world during the 2016-2017 school year.