Written by John Benson
In the past, Parma City Schools has received GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grants.
Now, the First Ring Schools Collaborative -- which includes the district -- has been awarded $3.8 million annually to continue the groundbreaking educational initiative aimed at preparing students for success in higher education.
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Northeast Ohio.
“GEAR UP has been around for a while, actually,” Parma City Schools Superintendent Charles Smialek said.
“We’ve been partners with them in different forms since I’ve been here. But most recently, the First Ring Schools Collaborative -- which is all the districts that surround Cleveland -- applied for and received a grant to expand services.”
Running through 2031, this seven-year program provides comprehensive support to middle and high school students, who are set on a path toward postsecondary education success.
The GEAR UP program covers early intervention, support and engagement, expert guidance, postsecondary focus and partnerships.
The latter includes Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland State University, the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium and the Higher Education Compact.
Smialek said the most valuable piece of the grant is tied to the continued affiliation with College Now, which provides college and career access advising, mentorship programs, financial aid and scholarship services in the Cleveland area.
“That’s been an invaluable resource for students and families in terms of just accessing the college entrance process,” he said.
“We’re really thrilled to be able to continue to provide that.
“The more our students could be interacting with folks from these different higher ed partners and even traveling to them, I think is really an advantage as our students look to their next steps.”
Something else Smialek noted was that the GEAR UP grant runs for seven years, which is a first for the educational initiative.
“That’s a strong grant,” he said. “Previously, it’s fluctuated, but this is a great dollar amount that allows us to be able to plan into the future.
“Sometimes people are a little skeptical of services that may or may not be available the following year.
“To be able to establish stability with our partners and College Now advisers is a real strength. It allows our families to have that comfort level with knowing what is available from sibling 1 to sibling 2 to sibling 3.”