Special to The News

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens, John Cornyn, R-Texas and Joe Manchin, West Virginia were among several senators who introduced the GEAR Up for Success Act on Friday.

This legislation would improve the GEAR UP federal grant program by giving grant recipients increased flexibility to cater to local students’ needs, reducing administrative burdens for grant recipients and ensuring a more fair and competitive application process, according to an issued statement from Cornyn and Manchin.

“Our local schools should be able to use grants to cater specifically to their students’ needs,” Sen. Cornyn said. “This legislation will bring even greater local control in the GEAR UP program, from which many students in Texas have already benefited. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure students don’t fall behind, improve college completion rates, and ensure decisions rest with those who know our students best.”

 Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas and Susan Davis, D-California, introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Cornyn announced his plan to introduce the GEAR Up for Success Act recently at a roundtable discussion with local superintendents, as well as education and community leaders, in Harlingen.