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Federal Grant Award Summary

Region One Education Service Center received a $4.99 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP, CFDA 84.334) on October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2026. The award funds comprehensive college and career readiness support services for low-income secondary students, including those with disabilities, in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. The grantee delivers academic support, counseling, mentoring, financial aid information, and related supportive services designed to improve high school completion rates and postsecondary preparation among underserved student populations.

Through this GEAR UP funding, Region One Education Service Center provides technical assistance, professional development, and direct services to secondary school students and their families across its service region. The program includes outreach activities that educate students and families about the advantages of postsecondary education and college financing options, while simultaneously reducing student dropout risk and the need for remedial education at the postsecondary level. This award represents one of the larger partnership and state-level GEAR UP grants dispersed in the 2025 funding cycle, consistent with the program's commitment to supporting equitable college access and career pathways for disadvantaged youth in South Texas.