McGavock Covenant Hopes to Promise College to High School Students

To boost graduation rates, Nashville’s largest high school wants to promise money for college.

School officials plan to make a pact with business leaders to help kids at McGavock High School go to either a four-year or community college.

School Board Member Steve Glover calls it the “McGavock Covenant”. He envisions creating a pool of money for graduating seniors who can’t afford college.

“We don’t want to let money to get in the way. We don’t want that to be the obstacle of why you can’t go to school.”

The money may not happen in time for this year’s seniors, still the Covenant is providing a small volunteer army of community members who will help students fill out confusing federal aid forms and scholarship applications.
Glover says the volunteers will seek out students who may be worried college isn’t financially possible.

Right now only 74% of McGavock students graduate. Glover hopes the McGavock Covenant will boost that number and make the school a model for large, urban high schools.