The University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center announced Nov. 10 that it has been awarded a US Department of Education GEAR UP Metro grant that will run for seven years and include Oklahoma City Public Schools as a key partner.

Leslie Williams, director of the OU K20 Center, told the OKCPS board the program will serve 11 metro-area schools in a cohort model and reach ‘‘over 4,000 students over the next 7 years.’’ She said the award is "just under $40,000,000" with a required 1-to-1 local match, producing a total program investment of roughly $80 million when local and matching funds are included.

Claudia Rivas Taylor, GEAR UP OKC project co-director, said the program will provide family events, FAFSA assistance, ACT preparation, campus visits, concurrent-enrollment supports and micro-credentials for teachers. Williams said the project will begin immediately and that the K20 Center is coordinating hiring and services with OKCPS for program start-up.

Board members welcomed the investment and asked clarifying questions about participating sites; Williams and Rivas Taylor said the cohort model begins with current sixth- and seventh-grade students (graduating classes projected 2031 and 2032) and that the district packet includes a two-page cohort overview.

Next steps: K20 will continue coordination with OKCPS teams on hiring, site selection for services and an upcoming kickoff conference; the board will receive further documentation as implementation details are finalized.