Community Foundation Gives $500,000 Grant For High Schools

The Community Foundation Makes a Major Investment in Local Schools by Awarding the PEF a $500,000 Grant to Support High School Reform


Staff Report
Thursday, March 25, 2004
chattanoogan.com

The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga has made a major investment in local schools-and the Public Education Foundation (PEF)-by awarding the PEF a $500,000 grant to support its ongoing efforts to transform high schools, officials said at a press conference Thursday afternoon at the foundation offices on Market Street.

The Community Foundation's grant will enhance college access programs in local high schools, it was stated.

This award is one of the largest grants the Community Foundation has ever made, 'demonstrating the cohesive vision both agencies share for improving public education in Chattanooga,' officials said.

'The Public Education Foundation has long been a leader in education reform, research and outreach in our community,' said Spencer McCallie, Vice Chairman of the Community Foundation. 'Our investment in the PEF represents a major step forward in the Community Foundation's strategic plan, broadening our educational outreach and improving the lives of thousands of students in Hamilton County.'

Although focused on increasing the number of students who attend college, the grant will also support matching funds for an $8 million Carnegie Corporation 'Schools for a New Society' grant the PEF secured through a partnership with the Hamilton County Department of Education in 2001. The five-year 'Schools for a New Society' grant focuses on four core goals for all 17 high schools in Hamilton County: to increase personalization, to create an engaging and challenging curriculum, to build a professional learning community, and to ensure flexibility in courses.

Although each high school develops its own plan of action to reach these goals, all are working to achieve the same benchmarks: 95 percent of all entering ninth graders proceed to tenth grade in one year, 90 percent of all students pass the Gateway exams, attendance rate exceeds 95 percent, 90 percent of students graduate from high school, and more students apply and are accepted into college, it was stated. All of the programs supported by the 'Schools for a New Society' grant 'are reducing the challenges students face entering high school and attending college,' officials said.

'Our students are our future, and the Public Education Foundation, Community Foundation and Hamilton County Department of Education have partnered to invest in that future,' said Dan Challener, President of the PEF. 'We've already seen great progress from the Carnegie initiative, and the Community Foundation funds will help us broaden the impact of these efforts through providing much needed resources to help more students apply and gain access to college.' More students are being prepared to attend college due to the use of the single path curriculum, and all students in all 17 high schools are being prepared to enter college.

David Cowan, principal of Central High School, said, 'Central High School has already had great results from its Carnegie funded reforms. In fact, this year, we have had more students apply and be accepted into college than ever before.' He said scholarship funds to Central students are up over $200,000.

'The statistical improvements we have seen as a result of the Carnegie program have been exciting,' said Diane Hale, Guidance Counselor at Central High School. 'But what is even more rewarding is seeing the drastic change in students' attitudes about school. The programs we have implemented have boosted our students' confidence and given them hope for attending college. The impact from these programs will be life-long for many students.'

Central officials said they have 'reinvented the way students prepare and receive assistance through all aspects of the college preparation and application process-taking required standardized tests, filling out applications, identifying appropriate colleges and completing financial and scholarship applications. This extra assistance has helped many first generation and low-income college students realize their dreams.'

The Community Foundation, which was originally chartered in 1963, launched a new strategic plan in 2002, focusing its mission on 'encouraging giving, inspiring action and improving lives in the Chattanooga area.' Two of the six goals set forth in the new strategic plan focus on supporting the educational achievement of area students.

To learn more about the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, including the newly launched strategic plan, visit www.cfgc.org call (423) 265-0586. To learn more about all of the PEF's initiatives, including the Carnegie 'Schools for a New Society' grant, please visit www.pefchattanooga.org or call (423) 265-9403.