“I am so proud of Hillsborough’s educators and administrators for their hard work and focus that led to these increased graduation rates,” said Melissa Erickson, Executive Director of Alliance for Public Schools. “But, I am most proud of the hard work done by the Student Alliance for Public Schools leaders in area high schools. These students went above and beyond to identify and eliminate barriers to diplomas for themselves and their peers by designing, implementing and leading programs like peer mentoring and tutoring at their schools.”

The Student Alliance for Public Schools, a program of the Alliance for Public Schools, began in Hillsborough high schools when the graduation rate was 76%.  The program was started to address equity issues related to differences in academic achievement and disciplinary actions in our community. The Alliance’s student leaders were inspired by the national work of America’s Promise Alliance to raise our country’s graduation rate to 90%. At the 2015 GradNation Community Summit co-hosted with the United Way Suncoast, the superintendent, inspired by the students’ leadership, adopted their goal of raising graduation rates across the district. Superintendent Addison Davis has continued the goal of increasing graduation rates in Hillsborough County with his ongoing support of the Student Alliance program.

This year, schools with Student Alliance programs demonstrated tremendous accomplishments due to the ongoing commitment from students, educators and school level administrators. Many of these schools saw the highest graduation rates in their history.

“Today’s results show that efforts to improve student success are far more successful when students themselves are co-designing the solutions in collaboration with school and district leadership,” said Melissa Erickson. “I am very proud of them for their diligence and commitment to the important work of ensuring a diploma for all.”

High Graduation Rates have a massive impact on our local community. Students who graduate with a high school diploma earn $380,000 more during their lifetimes compared to students who do not graduate, translating to a more than $2 billion boost to the local economy over the past five years.

About Alliance for Public Schools

Alliance for Public Schools is a non-profit organization based on the belief that student success through public education must be a shared community value and priority, worthy of investment. The Alliance focuses on engaging education stakeholders, including parents, educators and community members, to ensure students receive a high quality, relevant education and graduate from high school prepared for the next stage of life.

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The UWS award, part of a $6.05 million investment in the community, will support the organization’s Hillsborough and Pinellas Family and Community Engagement and Student Success programs.

TAMPA, FL – July 1st, 2020 – The Alliance For Public Schools will receive Community Investment funding from United Way Suncoast for its Hillsborough and Pinellas Family and Community Engagement and Student Success programs.

This grant will help the Alliance deliver family engagement and student success programs in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Parent Engagement programming includes Parent University, STEM Family Nights and school level programming at seven Community Schools in Hillsborough County and Campbell Park and Ridgecrest Elementary Schools in Pinellas.

“Since our inception, funding from the United Way Suncoast has been vital to the success of the Alliance for Public Schools,” said executive director Melissa Erickson. “As we enter our 10th year serving the Suncoast Community, we are proud of what we have accomplished in partnership with United Way and thankful for their renewed financial commitment to our work.”

Over the past year, United Way’s support allowed the Alliance for Public Schools to adapt its programming to fit the changing needs of students and families during the pandemic, which allowed more than 15,000 individuals to participate in family engagement activities through virtual means.

Said Erickson: “We are excited that we have been chosen for continued support from United Way for this upcoming school year so we may support the ever-changing needs of students and families as they return to a more predictable mode of school next year.”

The lasting community impact of the alliance’s work aligns with United Way’s mission. As households continue to grapple with the financial fallout of the pandemic and parents strive to navigate a challenging educational year, United Way Suncoast has stepped up with a $6.05 million boost to 77 area nonprofits for the 2022 fiscal year.

UWS continues its 97-year mission of lifting up the community by sustaining its focus on four priority areas: early learning, youth success, financial stability and asset development. The investment extends to all five counties in UWS’ region – DeSoto, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota – and underscores the organization’s long-time commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“We are proud to support high-impact programs that will do so much good across our region,” said United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff. “As we look to emerge from the pandemic and strengthen our commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion with a new strategic vision, it’s never been more important to advocate for our community. Through our partnerships and expertise, we will continue to create bold solutions to our biggest challenges – uplifting lives and achieving equity for generations to come.”

For the second consecutive year, the organization convened a group of dedicated volunteers who conducted a thoughtful and thorough job in choosing the nonprofits. The allocation, an increase of more than $400,000 from the 2020 allocation, will impact nearly 150,000 people in UWS’ five-county region. UWS also raised and distributed $1.9 million for pandemic relief over a six-week period in 2020.

Each grant will fund specific programs that support the interconnected priority areas and help ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families who stand just one unexpected expense from enduring hardship.

About Alliance For Public Schools

Alliance for Public Schools is a non-profit organization based on the belief that student success through public education must be a shared community value and priority, worthy of investment. The Alliance focuses on engaging education stakeholders, including parents, educators and community members, to ensure students receive a high quality, relevant education and graduate from high school prepared for the next stage of life.

About United Way Suncoast

United Way Suncoast severs the constraints that prevent families from thriving. We dismantle the barriers to human prosperity, uniting our community along the way. When we provide pathways to early learning, financial stability and youth success, we lift up families as they cultivate a future beyond circumstantial constraints. We provide choices. We provide opportunities. We create space for families to grow without limitations, elevating communities by building a future with equity for all. We are proud to serve the people of DeSoto, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties by operating and funding services and programs to help our community have the Freedom To Rise.

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