August 15, 2016

CASTRO ANNOUNCES $1.7 MILLION FOR SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

San Antonio, TX – Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced a five-year, federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education expected to total $1,179,630.00 for the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). SAISD will receive the grant through the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program, which provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The program also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants. The goal of EOC is to increase the number of adults from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete a secondary school diploma or equivalent and enroll in a postsecondary institution.

“Education is valuable at any age,” said Rep. Castro. “The projects this funding supports will help adults find pathways to education they otherwise wouldn’t know to pursue. These resources are invaluable and truly life-changing. I applaud SAISD’s work to expand opportunity for San Antonians of all ages and help folks in our city achieve their dreams.”

Project Scholarships to Able Youth (STAY), a community-based, nonprofit organization located in San Antonio also received a five-year EOC grant from the Department of Education expected to total $3,153,265.00. Project STAY plans to use part of this funding to serve Edgewood ISD, South San Antonio ISD, and Harlandale ISD, school districts located in Congressman Castro’s 20th congressional district.

EOC projects provide information campaigns designed to inform the community about opportunities for postsecondary education and training, academic advice and assistance in course selection, assistance in completing college admission and financial aid application, and assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations. Projects may also provide education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants, guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a General Education Development (GED) program or other alternative education program for secondary school dropouts.

Additional EOC project services include providing individualized personal, career, and academic counseling, tutorial service, career workshops and counseling. EOC projects provide mentoring programs involving elementary and secondary school teachers, faculty members at institution of higher education, students, or any combination of these persons, and provides activities and services specially designed for participants who are limited English proficient, participants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, participants with disabilities, participants who are homeless children and youth, participants in foster care or are aging out of foster care, or other disconnected participants.

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