Some of the biggest names in Charlotte philanthropy today unveiled a five-year, $55 million effort they hope will ultimately boost the graduation rate at West Charlotte High.

Organizers of the effort, called Project LIFT, said the money will target educational program at the West Charlotte High and seven of its feeder school. Money will go to support principals and teachers, extend schooling hours, beef up technology and strengthen family and community involvement.

In developing the program, groups leaders said they studied education research, talked with experts and met with parents and religious leaders in the Beatties Ford corridor.

We learned what has worked in our system, what hasn’t worked and what’s been most promising,” said Richard “Stick” Williams, who heads the Duke Energy Foundation and co-chairs the organizing effort along with Ann Spangler Nelson. “I do believe this initiative will transform lives.

At an announcement Monday morning inside the West Charlotte High gymnasium, organizers say they already have commitments for $40.5 million. The rest they hope to raise by June.

In addition to West Charlotte High, other schools to receive aid are: Ranson Middle, Statesville Road Elementary, Allenbrook Elementary, and the new preK-8 campuses Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is creating at Thomasboro, Druid Hills, Byers and Bruns Avenue elementaries.

Organizers said they singled out West Charlotte High because of its needs, including its 51 percent graduation rate, but also because the school is making progress.

The project's backers said they plan to help CMS recruit and retain high-performing educators for the schools involved and will push for longer school days, summer programs and early-childhood education programs. The group also will lobby state lawmakers for more local control over academics and school calendars. Money also will go to provide technology for students and help families better support their children's education.

The group did not announce what graduation level they would like to achieve by the end of the five-year program but said the program, if successful, could be rolled out across Charlotte and serve as a model nationwide.

The groups that pledged are:

• The Belk Foundation -- $1 million
• Foundation for the Carolinas -- $2 million
• Wells Fargo Foundation -- $2.5 million
• Duke Energy Foundation -- $5 million
• Bank of America Charitable Foundation -- $10 million
• C.D. Spangler Foundation -- $10 million
• The Leon Levine Foundation -- $10 million.

At an announcement attended by hundreds, including local elected officials and education supporters, the groups offered statistics showing that students who drop out of earn less money over their lifetimes, have higher unemployment and incarceration rates and even higher rates of early mortality.

“Investment in our community’s children is one of the most important things we can do,” C.D. Spangler told the audience. “In fact, it’s critical.”

Since the 2007-2008 school year, the district has been forced to slash or redirect more than $180 million. Now, because of less funding from state and county government, Gorman is preparing to cut another $100 million.

Many of his recent cuts have fallen hard on schools that serve poor and minority students.

Mayor Anthony Foxx said the effort is just the latest example of how Charlotte pulls together to address common concerns.

“The collective will of this community to see children succeed overpowers anything that separates us,” he said. “We as a community have always found a way to come together in a crisis.

The Charlotte Observer contributed to this report.

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