Grambling State and Lincoln Prep announce a three year partnership

Grambling State University, Grambling High Foundation Inc. and Lincoln Preparatory School will work together for three years, GSU said in a release. The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors approved the deal. The Lincoln Parish Journal ran the release on Friday, Oct. 23.

The release says students and teachers will get help from the university. That includes college classes, ACT prep, teacher training and work experience. A joint group will guide the work and track progress.

Lincoln Prep is a public charter school run by Grambling High Foundation. The release says each school keeps its own leaders, money and legal duties.

What comes first

• College readiness and ACT prep
• College classes for high school students and early time on campus
• Teacher training and teacher residencies
• Student activities, career exploration and work experience
• A shared dashboard to track who takes part and how students do

How it’s paid for

A $10,000 grant from UNCF and $350,000 from the state Legislature will help pay for the work. The release says the money still depends on funding rules and approvals.

What they said

“For me, this partnership is personal,” said GSU President Martin Lemelle Jr., a graduate of Grambling Laboratory High School. Lincoln Prep Executive Director Rashid Young called it “an investment in what our students can become and in the future of this community.” Kennedy Jones, the foundation’s board chair, said the board’s job is “to pair opportunity with accountability.”

What’s next

The schools plan a community event and signing the week of Nov. 2. Lincoln Prep students are expected at GSU’s High School Day on Nov. 7, the release says.