On Friday, March 15, 2019, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announced the winners of the Gateway to Careers grant competition.
In alignment with the District of Columbia Unified State Plan, OSSE, through this competitive grant process, sought eligible providers to help ensure that the District’s lowest-level learners, those with basic skills at or below the 5th grade level, have access to programming specifically tailored to support their educational development while engaging in career awareness and/or other workforce preparation activities. This effort will augment the existing cadre of adult education providers in the District that are providing educational services to this target population and will further connect low-level learners to a career pathways system through educationally appropriate service offerings.
OSSE will award $500,000 in grant funds to four eligible providers to design and implement Integrated Adult Basic Education (ABE) and/or Integrated English Language Acquisition (ELA) and Workforce Preparation services (e.g. career awareness, career exploration, career mapping, career planning services, etc.) for the purpose of educational and career advancement of 200 eligible District residents.
Name of Gateway to Careers Grant Awardees
- Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School
- Congress Heights Community Training and Development Corporation
- Literacy Volunteers and Advocates
- Southeast Welding Center, Inc.
Integrated ABE and ELA and Workforce Preparation programs are based on a service approach that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement. Each of the Gateway to Careers Grant awardees identified one or more industries of focus, including Early Childhood Education, Healthcare, Hospitality, Business Administration, Information Technology, Construction, and Law and Security; all of which are aligned with the District’s Workforce Investment Council ‘s list of high-demand employment sectors.
Sub-grantees will deliver services in partnership with adult education programs, industry-specific training programs, employers, and social service organizations that provide non-academic support services, such as case management, supported-referrals to other services and public benefits, and child care, etc. to name a few. These collaborations will ensure that District residents can enter a funded program and advance along a clearly articulated career pathway with seamless transitions between partnering programs.
OSSE congratulates the Gateway to Careers grant awardees and acknowledges the work of all the Gateway to Careers applicants for the work they do in service to, and on behalf of, District residents.