UA Awarded $1.1 Million to Aid Holt High School

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama has been awarded a “Gear-Up” grant of $1.1 million from the U.S. Department of Education to work in partnership with Tuscaloosa County’s Holt High School to improve academic achievement at the high school.

The new “Gear-Up” partnership, one of the largest grants UA has received from the Department of Education, was announced Friday during a ceremony at Holt High School. Among those speaking at the ceremony were UA President Andrew Sorensen, Tuscaloosa County Board of Education Superintendent Joyce Sellers, Alabama State Board of Education member Sandra Ray, and U.S. Department of Education representative Yolanda Watson-Moore.

Approximately $1.6 million has been designated for this project. In addition to the federal grant, an additional $446,000 in monetary donations and in-kind services will be provided by local civic, service and charitable organizations.

UA, along with local service and civic organizations, will implement programs and strategies to address the school’s need to improve academic achievement, reverse attrition rates, reduce the number of at-risk students, and increase the number of students who go to college.

“We are very excited about the University’s involvement with Holt High School and the entire Holt community,” said Sorensen. “This is an excellent opportunity to assist these students in developing the skills necessary to pursue a college education.

“This ambitious program is the latest in a series of partnerships between The University of Alabama and K-12 education. We are grateful to the Department of Education for providing the funds to make it a reality.”

Primary partners include UA’s College of Education, School of Social Work, Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, and Center for Teaching and Learning; the Tuscaloosa County Superintendent of Education; East Tuscaloosa Family Resource Center; Tuscaloosa Ministerial Alliance; and Shelton State Community College.

Secondary partners are the Holt High School Alumni Association; Corus (formerly Tuscaloosa Steel); Tuscaloosa Junior League; and the Tuscaloosa Boys and Girls Club.