Reps. Brown, Kaptur Announce $2.7 Million Federal Award to Cleveland State University

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Shontel M. Brown (OH-11) and Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced that Cleveland State University has been awarded more than $2.7 million in federal funding to develop and implement research innovation to improve academic, social, and civic competencies for high-needs students. The funding was awarded through a competitive grant application to the Department of Educations’ Education Innovation and Research program.

“I am proud to announce Cleveland State University has received $2.7 million in funding to improve academic and social outcomes for Ohio students facing significant challenges, such as poverty, homelessness, disabilities, and racism,” said Rep. Brown. “This investment will allow Cleveland State to expand its existing efforts to research and design strategies and resources that will benefit students, their families, and our communities. By strengthening the partnership between Cleveland State University and local high schools, the School-Based Youth Participatory Action Research project will develop initiatives that educators can deploy throughout Northeast Ohio and across the country.”

“To truly engage and inspire all of our students, we must recognize and address the structural barriers that too often hold many of them back,” said Rep. Kaptur. “By investing in Cleveland State University’s innovative approaches to teaching and learning, we can better meet students where they are, stimulate their unique passions and interests, and guide them toward a path of long-term wellness and success.”

“The Center for Urban Education at Cleveland State University and the Educational Service Centers of Cuyahoga and Franklin Counties have partnered with hundreds of high school students and dozens of teachers across more than 30 schools the past several years to engage young people in culturally relevant action research,” said Adam Voight, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Urban Education at Cleveland State University. “We look forward to the opportunity this grant affords to expand that work, including bringing it into schools and systematically researching it, in order to promote positive outcomes for students and their school communities. What we learn will hopefully serve as a resource for other educators around the country.”

Cleveland State University will utilize the funds to advance its “School-Based Youth Participatory Action Research” project, aimed at developing evidence-based solutions to problems of student underachievement and disengagement, particularly among high-needs students. Over five project years, Cleveland State will develop an evidence-based, field-initiated student-led action research innovation and implement the innovation in 30 high schools in Ohio.

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