Starting with middle school students, the $3.8 million per year grants will prepare more than 4,800 Cleveland-area students for postsecondary education through 2031

The Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESC) and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will each partner with College Now Greater Cleveland to provide postsecondary education support services to more than 4,800 students.

The two GEAR UP partnership grants awarded to the ESC for the First Ring Schools Collaborative and CMSD are, respectively, $3.6 million and $204,000 per year through 2031. Organizations in only two other U.S. states received more than one GEAR UP grant. As a grant partner, College Now will substantially increase the number of students who are prepared for postsecondary education, who enroll in college and who graduate with a degree.

GEAR UP – or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs – partnership grants are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education with the sole purpose of increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

“These grants are game changers for College Now, as we already serve many of the 11 districts in the grants, primarily at the high school level. This opportunity allows us to reach more students and families earlier, starting with middle school students, so that by the time they begin high school, a college-going mindset will already be deeply rooted in them. Students will be even more excited about the possibilities of their futures,” said Dr. Michele Scott Taylor, College Now president and incoming CEO.

There is currently a misalignment between employer demand and credentialed worker supply in Northeast Ohio. Economists estimate that 65% of a region’s jobs will require a 2-year degree, 4-year degree or high-value industry recognized certificate to maintain a competitive economy. Ohio currently falls short with only 51% of the state’s population meeting these qualifications. According to the Ohio Excels 2020 report, Ohio needs nearly 1 million more adults with high value credentials and postsecondary degrees in order to keep up with employer needs and keep the state’s economy moving.

“Research purports that occupations that offer family-sustaining wages, including health benefits, paid time off, support for retirement and a promise for future employment and income almost all require postsecondary credentials — a degree or high-value certificate,” said Dr. Scott Taylor. “The work we do with students and families will continue to empower them to reach their full potential and positively contribute to society in Northeast Ohio and beyond.”

The ESC facilitates and supports the First Ring Schools Collaborative which represents 16 public school districts that surround the city of Cleveland. In 10 of the districts, GEAR UP will serve 4,600 middle school students in grades 6 and 7 through high school graduation with college and career programs and services. At these partnering districts, 80% of students are from low-income backgrounds and will be among the first in their families to pursue a postsecondary education. The 10 districts include Brooklyn, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, Parma, Richmond Heights, South Euclid-Lyndhurst and Warrensville Heights city schools.

Similarly, CMSD’s grant will serve 255 current middle school students in grades 5, 6 and 7 at Alfred Benesch, George Washington Carver and Marion-Sterling schools. The grant will follow these students through their high school graduations, most from CMSD’s East Technical High School.

Through year-round programming during the school day, after school and the summer months, College Now’s college and career advisors will offer student cohorts academic and career advising and exploration, immersive college visits and test preparation support focused on postsecondary readiness, access, affordability and success. Through this process, College Now advisors will work with students to design their career goals and determine the best-fit education pathway needed to achieve them.

To support students and families in preparing for postsecondary education, this GEAR UP project includes partnerships with Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland State University, the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium and the Higher Education Compact.

After graduating from high school and the GEAR UP programming by 2031, many students will qualify for College Now scholarships. Eligible CMSD graduates will be able to attend postsecondary education with the Say Yes Cleveland scholarship. Scholarship recipients will then be matched one-to-one with a College Now mentor. Mentors help students navigate the college landscape and persist to completion as well as provide students with much-needed social capital that can help them reach their career goals.