EDUCATION PROGRAMS

TUITION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

As one of Joshua’s first dropout prevention programs, the Student Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) Fund affords academically and socially at-risk students the opportunity to set higher academic goals for themselves than they might otherwise have and to receive the extra academic support they need to be successful. Participants must agree to attend Joshua’s after-school tutoring sessions, families must contribute a portion of the tuition costs (based on ability to pay) and every student must demonstrate a strong work ethic. Moreover, the adjustment to and success within a more demanding learning environment requires intensive academic tutoring and ongoing “coaching” as provided by Joshua. This reality is compounded by the fact the students we serve are 2 or more grade levels behind where they should be in school. To address this deficiency academic intervention software to help students close their education gaps in Reading and Math is utilized as a key component of our after-school tutoring. Foundational to the success of Joshua’s private school program is the academic support students receive on a daily basis, as well as staff members’ weekly engagement with faculty and administrators at students’ schools.

Local Foundations, EITC partners, and individual donors provided scholarships for 150 Joshua students for this past school year. Notable among those receiving academic assistance and who attend Bishop McDevitt High School this year, at their most recent report card distribution of the city students who attend through the Joshua Scholarship Fund, over 40% made the honor roll. Nearly 50% had over a 3.0 GPA and 90% were over a 2.0 GPA. This is a remarkable achievement and one we haven’t always seen on report card day. The main reason for these outcomes is we that are now taking on more and more students in our scholarship program in the early grades. Starting students earlier with the benefit of our mandatory after-school program and our 9-week summer program, which are both required to receive any Joshua scholarship assistance, we think has our students so much better prepared for the level of academic rigor in high school. This continuity of effort - working alongside students as they progress from grade to grade – forms the basis of the scholarship program’s success and the academic achievements of the Allison Hill students who participate in it.