The Pittsburgh Promise Board Approves Doubling Scholarships up to $40,000 for Four Years of Higher Education

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Promise has approved doubling the potential amount of Promise scholarships from a possible maximum of $20,000 to a possible maximum of $40,000 per student over the course of a four-year higher education program. The Pittsburgh Public Schools' Class of 2012 – this year's 11th graders – will be the first students to be eligible for up to $20,000 in additional scholarship support from The Promise, bringing the total scholarship potential to $40,000 (up to $10,000 per year).  

Higher Achievement=Higher Scholarship Award

In order to inspire higher achievement, bigger dreams, and harder work, the additional scholarship award is to be earned by students who demonstrate mastery of subject matter.  

The December 2007 Grant Agreement with UPMC (the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) specified that The Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program would expand to provide up to an additional $5,000 per year beginning with the Class of 2012 contingent upon the School District of Pittsburgh's implementation of a Mastery Exam.  

The Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Promise is charged with identifying and selecting the needed exams and establishing eligibility criteria. The Board agreed to use 11th grade Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams as the suitable exams for the classes of 2012 and 2013. These exams are mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and will be administered to 11th graders this year between March 14 and March 25.

'Promise-Ready' students – those meeting the current scholarship eligibility criteria - can earn the additional $20,000 (over 4 years) by scoring 'Advanced' on the 11th grade PSSA Reading, Writing, and Math exams.  A four-year potential award amount is associated with each exam and each amount can be earned independently as shown in the following table:

In addition, for the Class of 2012 only, 'Promise-Ready' students who do not score 'Advanced' on the PSSA Reading, Writing and Math exams can earn smaller amounts by achieving a score of 'Proficient.' A four-year potential award amount is associated with each exam and each amount can be earned independently as shown in the following table:

In order to give students multiple chances to demonstrate success and thus lower the pressure associated with any single test-taking experience, scores of 600 or higher on the Reading, Writing and Math sections of the College Board SAT exams will be granted as a substitute for a score of Advanced in the respective sections of the 11th grade PSSA.  Students who score Proficient or below on the PSSA, but score 600 or higher on the respective section of the SAT will be granted the higher additional scholarship reward (the one associated with Advanced).

Since the SAT can be taken multiple times, this provides students who score Proficient or below on any section of the 11th PSSA additional opportunities to earn the full additional scholarship award.

"The Class of 2012 has an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way and demonstrate progress in academic achievement to earn additional scholarship awards," said Pittsburgh Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril.

Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools Dr. Linda Lane said, "Promise-readiness is at the heart of our reform efforts in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and our District continues to strive for every opportunity to increase achievement among all of our students.  Our administrators, teachers, parents, students and the entire District are grateful for the community's support and the motivation that the Promise scholarship opportunity provides."

A letter was sent to parents of 11th grade Pittsburgh Public High School students from Superintendent Dr. Linda Lane and Pittsburgh Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril to alert parents to the news about the opportunity for their children to increase their scholarship potential from The Pittsburgh Promise.  The letter outlined this expanded scholarship opportunity and tips for helping and motivating children to be prepared for the taking these exams.

Details of the criteria for the Class of 2014 and beyond have not yet been established and would be forthcoming pending action by The Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Promise.

About The Pittsburgh Promise

The Pittsburgh Promise advocates for improving the quality of education and increasing the preparedness and diversity of the region's workforce.  Thus far, approximately 2,400 graduates from the Pittsburgh Public Schools have received scholarship awards from The Promise.  Pittsburgh has the largest program among seven cities in the United States with such a program to provide advocacy and scholarships for students.

One of the region's most important community initiatives, The Pittsburgh Promise, was recently featured on CNN's 'Perry's Principles' as a positive example for America's teachers, parents, decision makers and others concerned about the education of America's children.  The Promise was also featured in a USA Today story (Jan. 6, 2011)"People of Pittsburgh Pitch in for Education; Mentors, Donors Invest in Promise of Children."  In Nov. 2010, The Promise was also featured on "The NFL Season: A Biography" Black and Gold edition in an online feature about NFL teams and their communities.  Last year, The Promise was cited by Parents Magazine as a primary reason for Pittsburgh being named among the top cities in America for raising a family.

In 2008 UPMC, the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and The Pittsburgh Foundation launched The Pittsburgh Promise for the purpose of:

• Preparing students for success in higher education by fueling the reform of our public education system;
• Helping students plan for the pursuit of higher education; and,
• Equipping students to pay for higher education without excessive debt through scholarship awards.

For more information about The Promise or PSSA Exams, please visit the Pittsburgh Public School District's website at www.pps.k12.pa.us, or The Promise's website at www.pittsburghpromise.org.

SOURCE The Pittsburgh Promise