Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox praised the Elevate Tuscaloosa program for its positive impact on education. The program has invested nearly $12 million in four key areas: Dual Enrollment Scholarships, the Summer Learning Academy, Pre-K, and the Athletics Excellence Fund.
Program Successes
The Summer Learning Academy has helped over 1,500 elementary and middle school students combat the ‘summer slide.’ The Dual Enrollment Scholarship program has allowed students to take college courses at no cost, with over 600 students participating last semester. The Pre-K program has nearly achieved universal Pre-K for Tuscaloosa, with almost 550 children enrolled last spring.
These programs have shown significant growth and improvement, with benchmark scores in mathematics and reading increasing to 94% and 98%, respectively. Mayor Maddox emphasized the importance of early childhood education, stating that it helps build strong brain connections, adapt to new ideas, and gain confidence.
Original reporting: The Tuscaloosa Thread — read the source article.
