LUMIN Schools, a Milwaukee-based network of private schools, was awarded $450,000 from national venture philanthropy fund The Drexel Fund to support its planned expansion.
The gift is the single largest private donation LUMIN has received in its 17-year history. It will support the network’s growth plan, which includes opening four new schools over the next seven years.
LUMIN, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, currently operates seven campuses, including four in Milwaukee, two in Racine and one in Gary, Indiana. It has 1,300 students in K4 through 8th grade, across all of its schools. Nearly all LUMIN students are enrolled in one of the state’s parental choice programs.
The network plans to open a new school, St. John’s Lutheran School, in Beloit in August. It will be the first campus to open as part of its expansion plan.
When it completes its seven-year expansion, the network expects to add 1,000 seats for students in southeastern Wisconsin.
“LUMIN and The Drexel Fund share a common purpose of ensuring more children from economically disadvantaged circumstances have access to the academic, spiritual and social-emotional support they need and deserve,” said Shaun Luehring, president and chief executive officer of LUMIN Schools. “We are grateful to The Drexel Fund for investing in LUMIN’s growth and the future success of our scholars.”
The Drexel Fund, based in Milwaukee, invests in new, financially sustainable schools serving low-income students in states with publicly-funded private school choice. It currently has investments in 11 states. LUMIN Schools is its fifth Wisconsin-based investment to date.
