Friends Select School Awarded $1.7 Million Multi-Year Grant to Increase Access for Historically Underrepresented Students to Attend Independent Schools
CENTER CITY, PHILADELPHIA – Friends Select School (FSS) is proud to announce a transformative partnership with The Children’s Education Initiative (TCEI), a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The $1.7 million multi-year grant will fund two participating students’ educational journey (K-8) and signifies a significant financial investment in FSS’s future. FSS will cover tuition and associated costs for these students in grades 9-12, strengthening its commitment to educational equity and innovation to prepare students for the whole of life.
In addition to covering full tuition costs, the grant covers all associated costs, including: expenses related to extracurricular activities, enrichment programs and other educational opportunities beginning in the 2026-27 school year. As part of this partnership, Friends Select will cover the tuition and associated costs for these students in grades 9-12. This comprehensive support ensures that students and their families can engage fully in the academic and community life of FSS without financial barriers.
“This partnership is a powerful affirmation of our mission and Quaker values,” said FSS Head of School, Michael Gary. “The generous grant from The Children’s Education Initiative enables us to deepen our impact and broaden our reach, ensuring that more students benefit from the transformative education we offer.”
“FSS is proud to exemplify what it means to be a forward-thinking, inclusive, equitable community,” said Friends Select Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid Rohan Arjun. “We are grateful to collaborate with TCEI on this life-changing endeavor that will uplift children and families across the Philadelphia area by giving them access to an independent school education, which they may not have had otherwise.”
By removing financial obstacles and providing holistic support, FSS and TCEI are opening doors to challenging academics, vibrant extracurriculars and a nurturing community that fosters personal growth and leadership. The initiative is designed to empower students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds to thrive and succeed, not only at FSS, but in higher education and beyond.
This initiative aligns with FSS’s strategic plan, Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign, which emphasizes deepening the school’s symbiotic relationship with the city of Philadelphia, expanding to meet the rising needs of its students, families, faculty and staff, and adding much-needed space for excellence in teaching and learning. The partnership with TCEI reinforces the school’s role as a leader in private education in the Philadelphia area.
For more information about the partnership, please visit friends-select.org or tcei.org.
About Friends Select School:
Friends Select School is the only all-gender pre-K-to-12 Quaker school in Center City Philadelphia. Located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Friends Select utilizes the city as a dynamic living classroom, enhancing education through unparalleled access to local resources, including universities, science institutes, arts and cultural organizations, social service agencies, businesses, and government. FSS students are participants in the complex fabric of everyday city life.
Friends Select provides a high-quality education rooted in Quaker values: respect for all, simplicity, the peaceful resolution of conflict, and a constant search for truth. Their teachers lift up student voice and agency, educating and empowering students to become active citizens for the whole of life.
Friends Select continues its Center City campus expansion with 27,000 additional square feet of academic and community space opening in early 2026, providing facilities that mirror and support the high quality of its educational program, while deepening its Quaker values and renewing its commitment to Philadelphia. For more information, visit friends-select.org/transformation.