Print edition: 
The University of Kansas is one of 56 schools and education departments across the country getting millions of federal dollars to prepare at-risk students for college.
KU's Educational Opportunity Program, part of its school of education, was awarded two competitive U.S. Department of Education grants of $640,000 annually for seven years — a total of $8.96 million — for Kansas City, Kan., children.
"We are very excited about this," said Ngondi Kamatuka, director of the KU program. "This is all about our future... saving schools."
He said KU will work with a total of 1,600, sixth- and seventh-graders at Coronado, West, Arrowhead and Eisenhower middle schools in the Kansas City, Kan., district. Those students are on path to attend either Schlagle High School or Washington High School and graduate in five or six years.
Kamatuka said the main goal is programming to ensure students from the classes of 2017 and 2018 are prepared academically and financially to enter and excel at any college they choose to attend. The Educational Opportunity Program plans to follow students through their college freshman year, then seek additional grant money to track them until they receive a degree.
"Our goal has always been to make sure that all our students leave us prepared for college and careers," said David A. Smith, district chief of staff. "But that takes a lot." He said that many of the students in his district have major barriers that leave them thinking college is out of reach, so they resist preparing for it.
"The fact that KU will run this program and build ongoing relationships with these kids over the long term, helping them see that college is something they can do, that college can be part of their future, that's a very good thing," Smith said.
The plan supports President Obama's call for the country to increase its percentage of college graduates over the next decade.
The award, announced by the Obama administration on Friday, is part of $177.4 million through the federal program called GEAR-UP, which requires a dollar-for-dollar match from the grantees. KU, joining with the school district, will provide the match in services rather than cash.
This year's program proposes to help some 275,000 students nationwide.
