OU K20 announces nearly $40M GEAR UP Metro award with OKCPS partnership
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Summary
University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center secured a US Department of Education GEAR UP Metro grant covering 11 area schools; the seven-year award is just under $40 million with a 1:1 match, serving roughly 4,000 students and beginning immediately, district and K20 presenters said.
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.