Council committee weighs $12.9 million Bloomberg trades grant for schools

City Council · Meeting of August 25, 2026

Boston council committee reviews $12.9 million Bloomberg trades grant centered on Madison Park. Chief of Worker Empowerment Trin Nguyen told the Committee on Labor and Economic Development the city was selected among roughly nine national sites for a $90 million Bloomberg Philanthropies skilled trades competition, with $12,855,000 earmarked for Boston through June 2029. A pilot cohort saw 19 of 28 recommended Madison Park seniors selected by Building Pathways, six of whom entered registered apprenticeships directly.

Councilor Miniard Culpepper pressed officials after learning an after-hours program serving 60 students would run at five other high schools, not Madison Park, saying "Even though it's coming to Madison Park, it doesn't seem like the Madison Park students are going to be involved at all." Public testifier Michael Gillen warned the setup could disproportionately benefit Roxbury residents given transportation burdens. Councilor Edward M. Flynn said he expects a 13-0 full council vote Wednesday.

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Source: the City Council meeting of August 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.