The Pittsburgh Promise last night announced a new benefit to families of some high school students -- free tax preparation and help filling out the federal financial aid application.

The services will be offered to about 3,700 families that have incomes of about $52,000 or less and that have children in their junior or senior years in Pittsburgh Public Schools or city charter schools.

Saleem Ghubril, Promise executive director, outlined the services for the city school board Education Committee last night.

Mr. Ghubril said the services will cost about $30,000 and expand two existing programs -- free tax preparation offered to low- and moderate-income residents through United Way of Allegheny County and financial aid expertise offered by NEED, a Downtown nonprofit group.

He said parents of juniors and seniors will be sent postcards providing additional details. Services will be offered at four workshops citywide; the workshops begin next month.

Funded largely by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Promise provides scholarships of up to $20,000 to graduates of district high schools and charter schools who meet certain enrollment and academic criteria. Beginning with the Class of 2012, the maximum scholarship will increase to $40,000.

Promise scholarships have been awarded to about 800 of the 1,700 or so students who graduated from district high schools and charter schools last year, Mr. Ghubril said.

Promise applicants must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, because Mr. Ghubril wants them to leverage as much government help as possible before tapping Promise funds.

However, some parents are daunted by the complicated form, so Promise officials concluded that FAFSA preparation is "one of the gaps we need to help fill," Mr. Ghubril said. Tax returns provide much of the data needed for the FAFSA, so it made sense to offer tax and FAFSA preparation at the same time, he said.

Promise scholarships may be used at any public or private postsecondary school statewide. School board members Mark Brentley Sr. and Thomas Sumpter asked Mr. Ghubril to consider letting students use the money at schools in other states, too.

Mr. Ghubril said the money is restricted to Pennsylvania schools because the Promise wants students to return to the Pittsburgh area after college. Given that goal, Mr. Sumpter said, it might make more sense to let a student use the money at West Virginia University than at schools farther away in Eastern Pennsylvania.

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