The Pittsburgh Promise Reports Important Progress in Influencing City Living, Educational Improvement Efforts, Student Retention and Community Support

PITTSBURGH, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In its second annual report to the community, The Pittsburgh Promise highlighted its direct and indirect impacts on urban public education, student retention in post-secondary academic programs and community engagement.  

In addition to raising $11.3 million for the scholarship fund during the 2009/10 school year, there are a number of other important barometers of the program's progress including: college readiness and student retention in post-secondary education programs.  The Promise and related college preparedness programs have increased high school completion rates at the Pittsburgh Public Schools for the first time in five years.  Also, the first class of UPMC/Pittsburgh Promise Scholars from 2008 has outpaced both Pennsylvania and national retention averages for the number of students continuing their college or post-secondary education programs.

The unique combination of the scholarship incentive, combined with the school district's reform efforts and a college mentoring program have created a comprehensive approach to removing financial barriers, providing access to higher education, and ensuring success in post-secondary education.                      

The report on the Promise's strategic goals was given by its Executive Director Saleem Ghubril in a summary visual presentation.  A final report will be published later this summer immediately following receipt of the most recent end-of-school-year data.  Other highlights to date include:

• In 2009, the Pittsburgh area experienced its first positive net domestic migration since the early 1990s, with more people moving into the region than out of it.  Also in 2009, the Pittsburgh Public Schools experienced its smallest percentage of enrollment decline in five years and an uptick in kindergarten enrollment.  

• To date, The Pittsburgh Promise has provided 1,690 scholarships to graduates of the Pittsburgh Public Schools' classes of 2008 and 2009.  The class of 2010 will add approximately 750 more students to this scholarship initiative.

• During the past two years, The Pittsburgh Promise has invested approximately $8 million in funding scholarships to students attending 46 different Pennsylvania colleges, universities, and technical and trade schools.

• Designed to raise $250 million to support eligible high school graduates, The Pittsburgh Promise currently has financial commitments of $40 million from the region's corporations and foundations.  Additionally, The Pittsburgh Promise was launched with an initial $100 million challenge grant from UPMC in which every $1.50 raised by the community is matched with $1 from UPMC, with the goal of raising up to $250 million total over 10 years.   Pending a final audit, the Promise's fund-raising efforts from the past year will yield approximately $7.6 million in a matching grant from UPMC, which together with the $11.3 million raised by the Promise, creates a total of approximately $19 million for the 2009/10 school year.

• In 2009, the Pittsburgh Public Schools was one of only three districts in the nation that won a highly competitive $40 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support its Empowering Effective Teachers plan, in part, due to the presence and impact-to-date of The Pittsburgh Promise.  

• Since the inception of The Pittsburgh Promise in 2008, more high school seniors who began their 12th grade year also completed it.  

The UPMC/Pittsburgh Promise Report Card includes data, results and stories to support the program's three long term goals: (1) mitigate and reverse population declines in the City of Pittsburgh and enrollment declines in Pittsburgh Public Schools; (2) grow the high school completion rates, college readiness, and post high school success of all students in Pittsburgh Public Schools and (3) deploy a well-prepared and energized work force and an eager core of community supporters.

Board chair of The Pittsburgh Promise and legendary Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris opened the meeting with a personal story on how a college scholarship changed his life.  There were a number of speakers at this event (from dignitaries to students), in person and via video, who provided progress reports and commentary on the program's accomplishments.  Several hundred community leaders, school and city officials, students and teachers, as well as officials from other cities, attended the meeting at the O'Reilly Theater in downtown Pittsburgh.  

"During the past year, we have made important progress on our long term goals," said Saleem Ghubril, executive director of The Pittsburgh Promise. "The scope of impact and degree of change created by The Pittsburgh Promise has multiplied through the efforts of thousands of people in our own community.  Others around the nation are also looking at what Pittsburgh is doing to enhance urban public education.  Our collective efforts are enabling this region to take responsibility for creating a better educated and prepared workforce, improving the prospects for our young people, and for fueling sustainable economic growth," added Ghubril.  

The Promise as "Catalyst" for Change

"The Pittsburgh Promise has become a catalyst for many good things taking place at the Pittsburgh Public Schools and in the region," said Mark Roosevelt, Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools.  "Our teachers, principals and staff have rallied behind this program to help improve outcomes for students by implementing changes and a support system for planning and preparing for their future.  We are seeing evidence of The Promise motivating more students to complete their high school education," he added.  

The Pittsburgh Public Schools have progressed from a district facing the possibility of a state takeover to being ranked 7th in the nation among public school systems in large U.S. cities in the GreatSchools Best Cities to Live and Learn 2010 report.  According to GreatSchools, this ranking was earned because "the steady improvements in rankings and test scores are proof that its efforts are taking hold."

To help improve student achievement and prepare students to continue their education beyond high school and qualify for Pittsburgh Promise scholarships, the school district is deploying a teacher effectiveness strategy that includes a Promise Readiness Corps.  This is a group of highly effective teachers, counselors and administrators who are taking responsibility for supporting 9th grade students, 'looping' with them through their 9th and 10th grade years, and getting them Promise-ready by the time they reach 11th grade.  

Community Support Widens

"Even in the most difficult economic environment for fund-raising in recent history, The Pittsburgh Promise and what it stands for has captured the interest of more supporters and believers than we had a year ago," said Grant Oliphant, President and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation, which oversees The Pittsburgh Promise.  "In addition to the many conversations that continue with local corporations about their interests in supporting this workforce development effort, interest in the Promise is spreading among the general public, community leaders and others throughout the country who are watching the progress of this effort.  In two years, we have made remarkable progress that everyone should be proud of, although we still have a ways to go," added Oliphant.

At the report event, Mr. Oliphant introduced senior governmental, educational, corporate, and philanthropic leaders from Cleveland who attended as part of their effort to build a similar program for their community.  Pittsburgh business leaders David and Cindy Shapira, David and Nancy Malone and Anne Lewis, who collectively co-chair a special leadership outreach committee, provided brief reports on support from foundations, corporations and individuals that are investing in the Promise as a workforce and economic development opportunity for the region.

A number of  businesses have stepped up during the past year by making financial commitments to The Pittsburgh Promise, including:  Giant Eagle Stores, Oxford Development Company, Pitt Ohio Express, Hefren-Tillotson, Lanxess, American Eagle Outfitters, Super Bakery, Gateway Financial, Industrial Scientific, First Commonwealth and a host of other corporate sponsors.  These regional employers have joined initial investors, including: UPMC, PNC, Highmark and BNY Mellon, along with the area's foundation community, in supporting this program.    

Also acknowledged were various 'grass roots' or individual fund-raising efforts that have taken place during the past year, including:  Three Promise "Moms" who hosted a lunch benefit, runners in the Pittsburgh Marathon, city residents who made pledges through their tax forms, city school teachers and students who participated in a competitive fund-raising competition called the 'School Spirit Slam,' and even a young couple who recently married requested donations to the Promise in lieu of wedding gifts.  

"The Pittsburgh Promise is keeping its promise and commitment it set forth several years ago when this big idea for the Pittsburgh region was launched," said Sandra Danoff, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for UPMC, the region's largest employer and founding partner of The Pittsburgh Promise.  "We congratulate the students and their teachers, the school district, other employers, foundations and individual donors, and the team at The Pittsburgh Promise and The Pittsburgh Foundation for a job well done this year.  Together, you are the engine that makes this Promise a great investment in the future of our region."

"Since announcing the Promise, more cities like Cleveland and multiple livability rating agencies and news outlets have pointed out Pittsburgh as a City with a promising future," said Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, also one of the founding partners of this effort.  "The generations of students who will pursue higher education, thanks to the Promise, will create the future talent pool that will make Pittsburgh an even more livable community and a place that attracts even more businesses and families." 

The Pittsburgh Promise scholarship fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation in December 2007 with a $100 million commitment from UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center).   The Promise seeks donations from the business community, foundations, groups and individuals.  To find out more about contributing please visit www.pittsburghpromise.org or call (412) 281-7605.  

SOURCE The Pittsburgh Promise