Feds Hand Out $120M to Expand College Access

WASHINGTON — With the new academic year just days away, the Clinton administration tagged 21 states and 164 local partnerships to serve as the first participants in the highly-touted "Gear Up for College" program to boost access to higher education.
Approved last year, the program targets at-risk students early — no later than the middle school — and provides them with tutoring, mentoring and support programs. It also works with parents, helping them learn more about college and financial aid.
Endorsed by the White House, the $120-million plan was developed largely by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
"Gear Up will positively change the life chances of millions of young people," Fattah says. "Right now, the single most important priority to ensure its impact is effective implementation."
Despite giving applicants only weeks to make detailed proposals, more than 40 states and 600 local partnerships applied for funds, officials with the U.S. Department of Education say.
Under the program, states and colleges may work with middle schools provided that the school enrollment is at least 50 percent low- income.
"We  received an unexpectedly high number of Gear Up applications — many more than we were able to fund this year," U.S. Sec. of Education Richard W. Riley says. "Clearly, there is tremendous demand for this program."
Given the need, he adds, Congress should approve a request by the Clinton administration to double Gear Up funding from $120 million to $240 million next year.
Among states, California received the largest one-year grant, $4.9 million. Other big awards included: Texas, $4.5 million; Oklahoma, $3.4 million; Maryland, $2.7 million; and Massachusetts, $2 million. Other states winning first-year funds include Alaska,$1.2 million; Colorado,$1.3 million; Connecticut, $1.5 million; Maine, $1.2 million;  Minnesota, $1.5 million; Montana, $1.9 million; New Jersey, $1.4 million;  New Mexico,$1 million; New York, $729,000; Ohio,$1million; Rhode Island,$1.2 million; South Carolina, $1.8 million;Vermont,$1.1 million; Washington, $2.7 million; and Wisconsin, $1.5 million.
The agency also funded local partnerships that consist of colleges, public schools, and at least two community organizations. Local partnerships must work with an entire grade level at a school, tracking those students through the 12th grade.
State programs have the option of using that approach — which closely follows the "I Have a Dream" model begun in the 1980s, where individual philanthropists guarantee a college education for all students in a particular middle school classroom.
Recipients of local grants include historically Black Claflin College of Orangeburg, S.C.