The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced nearly $2.5 million in grants to three Oregon public high schools as part of its small high schools initiative.

Awarded through the foundation's Oregon Small Schools Initiative, Roosevelt and Madison high schools in Portland received $620,000 and $775,000, respectively, while Crater High School in Central Point received $1.1 million. In addition to the grants, which cover planning and teacher training, each school will be provided a coach to lead the changes, as well as workshops and other support.

High schools are eligible to apply for a Small Schools grant if they have an enrollment of at least seven hundred and a high percentage of low-income or minority students, and are willing to commit to breaking into smaller schools, each with its own staff, schedule, curriculum, and principal. The approach is intended to personalize education for students and encourage teachers to connect their lessons to the real world.