Pittsburgh Promise Scholarships Extended to Charter School Students

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08061/861680-53.stm

Pittsburgh charter schools are applauding a move by the Pittsburgh Foundation to include charter school students in the Pittsburgh Promise. The scholarship program currently provides graduates up to $20,000, to be spent over four academic years at any of about 100 colleges, universities and trade schools. "I don't think anybody balked at it," said Richard Reed, executive vice president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, which is administering the program. Rather, he said, an evaluation of program goals showed that including the charter schools was the "sensible and logical" approach. Foundation spokesman John Ellis said the decision to include charter schools was made in consultation with the city, school district and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which donated $10 million outright this school year and has offered another $90 million through a 10-year challenge grant. To qualify, 2008 graduates must have a grade-point average of at least 2.0, live in the city and meet other requirements. A student enrolled in city schools since kindergarten is eligible for up to 100 percent of the maximum scholarship; lesser amounts are available to those enrolled for shorter periods.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Date: 03/01/2008