TCC chosen for $1.75 million federal education grant

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Tulsa Community College has received a three-year, $1.75 million federal grant to develop a 21st Century Community Learning Center at Monroe Middle School that will focus on education and life skills training.

The training will involve six Tulsa schools and about 4,000 children and 8,000 adults in North Tulsa, officials with the community college announced Wednesday.

The skills are meant to help students meet and exceed Oklahoma P.A.S.S. Standards (Oklahoma's criterion-referenced test) in reading, science and math, college officials said.

The grant includes programs that will address financial counseling, home improvement, counseling and job placement and child care.

Other schools that will be served by the Monroe Learning Center are Gilcrease Middle School, and Alcott, Lindsey, Sam Houston and Penn elementary schools.

Oklahoma has received nearly $11.5 million for 36 learning centers, mostly in rural areas. Tulsa Community College is the only community college in Oklahoma to serve as a partner for a Learning Center Grant, college officials said.

Congress created the program in 1998. It awards one- to three-year grants to rural or urban schools or groups of schools to create a "community learning center" within a local public school building.

The center contributes to reduced drug use and violence and provides expanded educational, recreational, health and social service programs for all residents in the community.

Congress has appropriated nearly $1.3 billion for the program in the past two fiscal years.