Cornell will increase its annual voluntary contribution to the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) ahead of schedule, while strengthening collaborations with the schools.
The university has committed to annual increases through 2031 that total nearly $900,000 of additional funding over the next five years. By 2030-31, the university will reach a new annual contribution of $874,000, a 42% increase from its previous commitment.
"A rich and robust K-12 school system benefits everyone in our shared community, and we're thrilled to be able to increase our support, even during fiscally challenging times for the university," said Kyle Kimball, vice president for university relations. "In addition to this increased contribution, we look forward to deepening our already-strong partnership with the district, by leveraging the expertise at Cornell and in the public schools to bring more support and opportunities to our young learners."
The new rate replaces an existing commitment to contribute $650,000 annually through June 2031. The school district will use the unrestricted funds to enhance academic offerings and improve student outcomes.
"I am deeply appreciative of the meaningful investment from the leadership of Cornell University, which directly supports exceptional student achievement, strengthens college and career pathways and reinforces the workforce pipeline our region relies on," said ICSD Superintendent Luvelle Brown. "When higher education and pre-K-12 schools operate in partnership, the result is stronger outcomes for learners and lasting impact for the broader community."
The latest round of discussions included commitments to support and expand collaborations between Cornell and ICSD through new programming and community-building. A new Cornell-ICSD Advisory Committee, with Cornell faculty and staff and ICSD teachers and administrators, will convene quarterly to shepherd and evaluate new and existing programs.
"There are many existing programs and projects led by faculty and students working in and with the schools, and the advisory committee will track and suggest strategic enhancements to support the district," said Jennifer Tavares, director of community relations at Cornell. "The financial adjustment and new and continuing programs underscore our resolve to partner with the district to strengthen educational outcomes for local students and families."
New initiatives include an effort, through the National Education Opportunity Network and underwritten by Cornell, to offer dual-credit courses to qualifying Ithaca High School students beginning next fall. Co-taught by ICSD teachers and Cornell faculty, the courses will give students the opportunity to earn college credits and get access to curriculum outside the standard high school fare.
Tavares said the committee will also support research collaborations between the university and the schools. For example, a team led by Matt Hall, professor in the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy and director of the Cornell Population Center, recently delivered an assessment of ICSD's future building and infrastructure needs based on local enrollment projections, she said.
"This is information the school district needed, and Cornell faculty, working with the Cornell Division of Budget and Planning - who contributed their time to the effort in-kind - were able to fulfill that need," Tavares said. "We want to build even more of these bridges, which can benefit the district, as well as our faculty and students, who are eager to put their knowledge and research to good use and learn from the experience as well."
Tavares said the new efforts join a long list of well-established collaborations in the schools: multiple tutoring and enrichment programs run by student groups; the federal and New York State-funded Upward Bound and Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) college preparatory programs; and individual projects run by faculty, many of whom center local engagement in their work.
Cornell has also invested in early childhood education in the region, to address a scarcity; a new child care initiative and partnership with the Child Development Council helped create over 200 daycare openings in Tompkins County in its first year, nearly four times its original goal. And around 175 students volunteer in Tompkins County Head Start programs through the student group Big Red Buddies.
The increased investment in Ithaca City Schools is part of Cornell's larger economic impact locally; in 2024, $10 million went towards local governments, ICSD, nonprofit organizations and public transit support.
