Northwestern announced this morning a new partnership with the city of Chicago to create an academy that will provide additional educational resources for low-income Chicago Public Schools students.

Fifty ninth-graders each year who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program and are not in a CPS selective enrollment school will be chosen for Northwestern Academy. About 1,250 students each year will be eligible, according to a University news release. Recruitment is under way for the first group of students, with applications scheduled to open in February. The program will begin in April.

“We are grateful to Northwestern University for leveraging its world-class academic resources to expose our students to rigorous learning opportunities that will prepare them for success inside and outside of the classroom,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in the release. “Northwestern Academy is an example of how an innovative partnership between one of the country’s top universities and CPS can expand access to high-quality education options and open the door to unique learning opportunities and experiences for our students.”

The academy will provide class during both the academic year and the summer through NU’s Center for Talent Development. It will also offer tutoring, college counseling, test preparation, support from mentors and family workshops.

The academy will cost $5,000 to $6,000 per student, funded through donations. It will be free for attendees. The academic year programming will be held at one or two locations in downtown Chicago, while the summer programming will be held at the CTD.

“Northwestern is deeply committed to supporting Chicago Public School students and providing opportunities for a world-class education that will prepare these students for college and careers,” University President Morton Schapiro said in the release. “Our involvement with Chicago schools is strong, far-reaching and growing.”

—Joseph Diebold