$1 Million Grant Bolsters Pathways to College and Careers for Inland Empire Students
Funds will supplement Riverside County Education Collaborative’s ongoing efforts in college and career readiness
RIVERSIDE – A new grant will support and expand student preparedness and career pathways for students in seven Riverside County school districts, and key institutions of higher education in the region.
The $1 million grant was awarded to the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) and participating districts by the Inland Empire Regional K-16 Education Collaborative, a subset of the California Regional K-16 Education Collaborative Grant.
The grant funds will improve student preparedness and successful career pathways in the fields of education, engineering, and computing, for students at the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE), multiple school districts, Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC), and California State University San Marcos (CSUSM).
Along with schools operated by the Riverside County Office of Education, the participating Riverside County districts include Beaumont USD, Hemet USD, Lake Elsinore USD, Nuview Union SD, Perris Union High SD, Temecula Valley USD, and Val Verde USD.
“Supporting the postsecondary dreams of students in the Inland Empire is essential to the advancement of the region in the 21st century,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “This grant furthers the ongoing college and career readiness work and the partnerships that are required to ensure pathways to success for all students.”
In the area of student preparedness for postsecondary education, the grant will create a High School+1+2+1 Education Pathway for completion of an undergraduate degree and teaching credential with higher education partners from MSJC and CSUSM.
About the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)
RCOE is a service agency supporting the county's 23 school districts and 500+ schools that serve nearly 430,000 students—more than the student population of 17 states. RCOE services include administrative support to districts and charter schools, programs for preschool, special education, pregnant minor, correctional, migrant, and vocational students. In addition, the organization provides professional training, support, and resources for more than 18,000 teachers, administrators, and staff, throughout the 7,000 square miles of Riverside County. Learn more at www.rcoe.us.
About the Riverside County Education Collaborative (RCEC)
RCEC is an innovative partnership in the Inland Empire that was formed to help more students prepare for and graduate from college. RCEC will incorporate strategies such as professional development, the integration of FAFSA completion, encouraging a college-going culture beginning at the middle school level, offering parent workshops to help increase parent involvement in their student’s education, offering special programs for students that need additional support, and ensuring college-level coursework is offered to students once they reach high school.
About the Inland Empire Regional K-16 Education Collaborative
The Inland Empire Regional K-16 Education Collaborative, a subset of the California Regional K-16 Education Collaborative Grant, aims to help California with its economic recovery since the pandemic via partnerships between local K-12 school districts, community colleges, universities, and workforce partners.