LeBron James Foundation helps open new Akron public school

The LeBron James Foundation and Akron Public Schools are designing a new school for students in need of help.

The LeBron James Foundation has partnered with the Akron Public Schools to open a new public school called the I Promise School.

The school plans to target students who are at-risk in reading and could use assistance and intervention before falling further behind their peers.

“This school is so important to me because our vision is to create a place for the kids in Akron who need it most – those that could fall through the cracks if we don’t do something,” James said in a release. “We’ve learned over the years what works and what motivates them, and now we can bring all of that together in one place along with the right resources and experts. If we get to them early enough, we can hopefully keep them on the right track to a bigger and brighter future for themselves and their families.”

• 2017 NBA Awards Picks: The Great MVP Debate

The school is slated to open in the fall of 2018 with third and fourth graders. It could add first and second grade classes in the fall of 2019. By 2022, the school would host students from first through eighth grade, according to USA Today.