Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced a ten-year, $50 million commitment to the Partnership for LA Schools from local real estate developer Richard Lundquist and his wife, Melanie.

The largest individual donation ever made to Los Angeles schools is the lead gift in a fundraising campaign designed to raise millions for the school system. The gift will be tied to strict accountability measures structured around academic and school safety targets, including test scores, graduation and drop-out rates, and student safety measures.

The gift will fund specific programs designed to have an immediate impact on improving student achievement. The programs will include training and support for teachers, student and community programs, accountability systems, professional capacity-building initiatives, and the Teach LAUSD campaign, which will provide $4 million over four years to fund the growth of Teach for America in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"We would not be investing this $50 million if Mayor Villaraigosa had not been tackling school reform head on," said Melanie Lundquist, who has committed to working with the partnership's staff to help reach the campaign's fundraising goals. "It's time my generation answers this call before we become the first to give our children an education that is less than what was given to us. We simply cannot abandon our children."