Hanover, Colleges Boost Public School Program

The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation will donate $500,000 to Worcester schools and team with four local colleges in an effort to improve graduation rates.

The Worcester-based Hanover's donation will go toward the Worcester public schools' Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, a program that prepares students for college who may not otherwise attend.

Anna Maria College, the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State College have agreed to provide more than 100 student tutors to the AVID program.

Worcester public schools plans to expand the AVID program to help it reach more than the 15 percent of the student population it currently serves.