GEAR UPGaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate

Programs

GEAR UP Council Leadership Institute

Year Five

What is GEAR UP?

• Program funded by U. S. Department of Education for six years

• In 2005, only 98 grants in US (only 10 in Texas

• Services to one cohort of 1548 students as they move from grade 7-12

• All students in grade level are GEAR UP students

Purpose

• Designed to increase the number of low income students who are prepared for college

• Services available to all students, not designed as a minority or at-risk program

School District Partners

• 9 Independent School Districts

Central Lufkin

Center West Sabine

Diboll Woodville

Hemphill Zavalla

Hudson

Partners

• Post-secondary PartnersAngelina College Stephen F. Austin State University

• Community PartnersLufkin/Angelina Chamber of

CommerceTop Ladies of Distinction, Lufkin

Chapter

Fiscal AgentStephen F. Austin

State University

Advisory BoardDistrict Supt. & Community

and Business Partners

10 School DistrictsCoordinator

PrincipalDistrict Council

Secondary Education Partner

Angelina College

Community PartnersLufkin/Angelina

Chamber of CommerceTop Ladies of Distinction

GEAR UP

• PROMOTES a college going culture

• PREPARES students by taking more rigorous courses

• PROMOTES Possibilities……..offers students opportunity to achieve future dreams

Definition of College

• Any education past high school (post-secondary)

• Technical training or certification

• Associates degree (2 years)

• Bachelor’s degree

• Military service

Why Prepare?

• 90.1% of secondary students say they will go to college

• 80% of students say they will complete college• 40% of students in the top income quartile

graduate from college• 6% of students in the lowest income quartile

graduate from college

(National Commission on the High School Senior Year, 2001)

Why Rigor?

“The academic intensity of the student’s high school curriculum still counts more than anything else (grade point average or class rank) in pre-collegiate history in providing momentum toward completing a bachelor’s degree”.

Adelman,2006

Focus on Changing Access

• “To improve their college readiness outcomes for students, school districts need to approach “Advanced Placement” not as a special set of courses for their already well-prepared students, but as a comprehensive program to prepare large numbers of students…to be able to do college level work before they leave high school. (Dougherty, Mellor, Jian, 2005)

Goals

• Increase the academic performance and preparation of students

• Increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education

• Increase student and family knowledge of post-secondary options, preparation, and financing

Best Practices

• Curriculum changes

• Professional development

• Student recruitment for advanced classes

• Student support while in advanced classes

• Parent/Community outreach

Results

198

244254

290

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Number of Advanced Courses

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Grant Year

Advanced Courses Offered

Increased by 46% from Year One to Year Four

Results

6,7998,762

8,970

11,004

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Number of Students Enrolled

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Grant Year

Students Enrolled in Advanced Courses

Increased by 61% from Year One to Year Four

Results

2,0822,704

2,886

4,019

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

Number of Minority Students Enrolled

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Grant Year

Minority Students Enrolled in Advanced Courses

Increased by 93% from Year One to Year Four

Results

2,149 2,6942,916

4,117

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

Number of Low SES Students Enrolled

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Grant Year

Low SES Students Enrolled in Advanced Courses

Increased by 91% from Year One to Year Four

GEAR UP Program Activities and Expenses

• Students (only cohort grade level)

• Parents (target grade level, but could include parents of all grade levels)

• Teachers for Professional Development (from cohort grade to High School)

GEAR UP Responsibilities

• Program

Evidence that you are providing the services planned to meet the goals

• Financial

Evidence that you are spending the money to meet the goals

Principal’s Role

• Communicate GEAR UP philosophy & goals

• Align curriculum to accomplish GEAR UP goals

• Administration of district GEAR UP plan • Supervise the documentation of GEAR UP

services• Supervise Campus GEAR UP Coordinator• Chair of District Council

Coordinator’s Role

• Liaison for district to GEAR UP Project Director

• Work with Council to develop and monitor district plan

• Plan and record activities

• Submit monthly reports

• Collect data for Evaluation

• Submit Annual Performance Report data

District Council’s Role

• Promote GEAR UP and create a college going culture for district

• Develop district plan of activities to accomplish GEAR UP goals

• Evaluate student data and make recommendations for curriculum and program changes

• Attend Leadership Institutes

Financial Leader Role

• Should serve on District Council

• Verify that expenditures are allowable

• Verify that expenditures are tied to GEAR UP plan and cohort

• Secure accurate documentation for payment

• Assist in recording matching funds

Payment of Stipends

• Addition to base salary

• For specific work as detailed in a formal agreement

• Addition to regularly assigned duties

• Does not require a Time and Effort report for stipend activities

Formal Agreement

• Beginning and Ending Date

• Stated Amount

• Specific Duties or attendance

• Confirmed completion of agreement

• Must be signed by both parties

WHAT exactly is time and effort?

• The amount of time per month spent on various work activities, including GEAR UP activities

• A reasonable estimate of you grant effort

Time and Effort Reports

• If paid by GEAR UP funds, employee must sign statement that they provided that % of time to GEAR UP activities

• If salary used as match, must sign that the % of time used as match was used to provide GEAR UP activities

WHEN and HOW to report effort

• Each week, estimate the number of hours devoted to GEAR UP

• Record on Time and Effort form

• At end of month, sign and send form to district financial contact

Matching Funds

• Required dollar for dollar match

• In-kind represents contributions of either services or products used to accomplish GEAR UP goals

• Any item that would be an allowable charge can be counted as matching

Documentation of Services

• Record date

• Type of service

• Amount of time service is delivered

• Names (signatures) of people receiving the services

• Maintain documentation in district file for each month

What does GEAR UP mean to students?

• “a program that prepares and encourages students to attend college”

• “a program that opens up your eyes and allows you to see that there is no obstacle you can’t defeat in order to go to college”

• “GEAR UP is like an open door of opportunity guiding students to a better way of life”

Why is College Important to Students?

• “If you go to college, there are more jobs available to you.”

• “I will be the first in my family to do so.”

• “I want to get my dad out of his dirty job and make money to help them with everything they need.”

GEAR UP Program Contact Information

• Barbara “Bobbie” Davis, Project Director • Phone #: 936-468-1813

• Betty Alford, Principal Investigator

Phone #: 936-468-1865

• Donnya Stephens, Mentoring and Tutoring Coordinator

Phone #: 936-468-1899

• Heather Roten, Administrative Assistant

Phone #: 936-468-1899