LUCAS COUNTY LIGHTHOUSE SITE

A partnership comprised of Ohio College Access Networks (OCAN), the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Ohio Department of Education successfully submitted a State GEAR UP grant for Ohio to accelerate the development and implementation of comprehensive programs for improving college aspiration, access and participation among the State's economically disadvantaged urban and rural youth. 

The project combines the program development capabilities of OCAN, the suite of best practices developed through a previous State GEAR UP grant, and the community outreach potential of the newly established Student Access & Success Coordinating Council of Ohio (SASSCO) to serve eight "lighthouse sites" (middle schools in low income districts and the high schools they feed into.)

The lighthouse sites were selected based on the following criteria:

• High poverty community
• Low college participation
• High remediation rates

        Why The Need For GEAR UP?

       Percentage of High School Graduates Who Go to College

The Lucas County site is managed through Think College Now , Northwest Ohio College Access Program.  The Lucas County GEAR UP Program works with the Toledo Public Schools Leverette Middle School and Woodward High School.