Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday that Los Angeles is receiving a $77.8 million federal education grant to offer college readiness services and other programs that will help more than 14,000 students in about five dozen institutions across the city.
The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Education's Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, and is the largest received by Los Angeles since the initiative was first authorized by Congress in 1998.
"A child's ZIP code should never be a barrier to the dream of a college education, and GEAR UP helps put that goal in reach for thousands of young Angelenos," Garcetti said. "With this year's record-breaking grants, students across our city will receive the guidance and support they need to get into college, earn their degrees, and chart their course into the middle class."
The grant will go to the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Youth Policy Institute with Bright Star Schools, and nine local colleges and universities.
"Thanks to this grant, over 14,000 students will benefit from direct support that will help them navigate the process of applying for college and preparing for success once they enroll," LAUSD board member Kelly Gonez said.
"At L.A. Unified, we know that it's not enough to get our students to the high school graduation stage -- we need to ensure our students are prepared to succeed in college and careers."
