Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for

Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)

Project Abstracts for FY 2014 State and Partnership Grants

FY 2014 GEAR UP State Abstracts

PR Award Number: P334S140020

Grantee: The University of Alabama at Birmingham 

Director’s Name: Lawrence E. Tyson

State: Alabama

Year One Funding: $3,500,000

Telephone Number: 205-975-2491

E-mail Address: ltyson@uab.edu

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) proposes GEAR UP Alabama (GUA), a Gaining Early 

Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) project. GUA will serve 10,505 

students in 23 school districts across the Alabama Black Belt region. GUA is a seven year project. The 

project begins in the 6th and 7th grades in 54 schools and follows the cohort of students through high 

school. The 7th grade cohort will receive GUA services their first year of college. All students served live 

in extreme poverty. Collectively, 84 percent of all the students the project includes qualify for free or 

reduced-priced lunch and have significant academic deficits. UAB has an extensive list of partners. The 

primary partners include: (1) the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE); (2) Auburn 

University; and (3) the Black Belt Community Foundation. 

The overlying goal for the project is to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are 

prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. To meet this goal, the project planning 

committee has identified five objectives. The objectives are as follows: 

• Objective. 1: Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for 

GEAR UP students. 

• Objective. 2: Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education 

for GEAR UP students. 

• Objective. 3: Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education 

options, preparation, and financing. 

• Objective. 4: Increase percentage of GEAR UP students who enroll in and succeed in postsecondary 

education. 

• Objective. 5: Increase the preparation of the project teachers and staff to teach and serve GEAR UP 

students. 

Each objective has performance measures to determine the project’s effectiveness. Spectrum Research 

Evaluation and Development will serve as the project’s external evaluator to provide both summative 

and formative evaluation. GEAR UP Alabama provides many direct services to students. Teachers 

serving the cohort students will have an opportunity to participate in face-to-face and online 

professional development (PD) provided by UAB and other project partners. To ensure the PD is enacted 

with fidelity, GUA will ensure that all schools have effective PLCs and that teachers have access to an 

instructional coach. Students will also receive a variety of services. 
PR Award Number: P334S140017

Grantee: Iowa College Student Aid Commission

Director’s Name: Christina M. Sibouih

State: Iowa

Year One Funding: $3,206,922

Telephone Number: 515-725-3101

E-mail Address: christina.sibouih@iowa.gov

The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (ICSAC) proposes a statewide, seven-year GEAR UP 

project utilizing a cohort student model to help prepare an estimated 6,300 students across 30 of the

highest need schools in 12 districts of the state for improved college access and success. GEAR UP Iowa 

(GUI 2.0) has adopted the three national GEAR UP Objectives to assure students graduate from high 

school college- and career-ready, experience increased postsecondary enrollment and success, and 

ensure families have the college knowledge and financial skills to support their children’s dreams. 

With a framework to build stronger student pipelines to college access and success, GUI 2.0 will 

support: 1) collaborative alignment with college- and career-readiness efforts; 2) capacity building for 

counselors and advisement; 3) assessment and development of students’ non-cognitive skills; and 4) 

exposure of students to early and varied college exploration experiences. GUI 2.0 will provide services to 

students, parents, schools and colleges, based upon a transparent, inclusive data-driven decision-making 

process as well as culturally-specific student and parent engagement strategies. The project’s signature 

College Access and Readiness Team (CART) process supports counselor leadership and embeds collegeand career-readiness into schools’ comprehensive school improvement and Iowa Core implementation 

processes. 

Partners of GUI 2.0 will include the twelve districts; community colleges, private and public 

colleges and universities; the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa State Treasurer’s Office, ACT, 

Iowa College Access Network, United Ways, and a variety of community-based organizations. Outcomes 

for GUI 2.0 will include a reduction in achievement gaps for minority and low-income students, 

sustained college-going practices in schools, preparation to reduce remediation, student applications to 

optimal fit colleges, improved college student retention and implementation of counselor leadership 

models in college readiness.
PR Award Number: P334S140025

Grantee: Maryland State Department of Education

Director’s Name: Mary Howlett-Brandon

State: Maryland

Year One Funding: $2,176,389

Telephone Number: 410-767-0367

E-mail Address: mahbrandon@msde.state.md.us

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has been designated by Governor Martin 

O’Malley as the lead state agency for the GEAR UP Grant Program. A previous designation was made for 

the State’s previous two GEAR UP Grants. MSDE has again been entrusted with this important work. 

MSDE will partner with the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to deliver a two pronged 

approach. MSDE will deliver professional development to teachers and MHEC’s state funded College 

Preparation Intervention Program will provide college preparation and access to cohort students. MSDE, 

acting as a facilitator, will bring together Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) of Baltimore City (eight 

schools), Dorchester (one school) and Wicomico County (three schools), Maryland Business Roundtable, 

Maryland Public Television, and College Goal Sunday partners together to share ideas, strategies and 

tools to meet college preparation and access goals for the Maryland GEAR UP cohort of 1,409 students. 

GEAR UP funds will support college preparation, access and outreach initiatives to achieve the following 

goals during the grant’s six year period: 

1. MD Objective 1: Improve GEAR UP students' performance in mathematics and English Language Arts 

to facilitate high school graduation and college matriculation. 

2. MD Objective 2: Improve the teaching of mathematics and English Language Arts in GEAR UP schools 

to enhance academic achievement of students. 

3. MD Objective 3: Students will demonstrate a greater awareness of college admissions requirements 

and opportunities as measured through annual surveys or pre/post assessments. 

4. MD Objective 4: Parents/guardians will be able to demonstrate knowledge of requirements for high 

school graduation, postsecondary options and acquiring financial aid for their student through annual 

surveys. 

5. MD Objective6: Students will demonstrate an increase in their academic performance and 

preparation for postsecondary education through pre/post assessments. 

6. MD Objective 6: Students will demonstrate an increase in their academic performance and 

preparation for postsecondary education through pre/post assessments. 

The proposed services, financial assistance, and activities target goals aimed at low income and 

underrepresented students to: 1) create, sustain and expand awareness and knowledge of financial aid, 

career and college planning, financial aid, career and college planning, financial literacy and debt 

management for low-income, underrepresented, and at –risk students and their families in order to 

increase college completion; 2) support college access and preparation of underrepresented by 

implementing interventions (enrichment and remedial activities, services and financial assistance); and 

3) provide sustained and quality professional development to teachers of target underrepresented 

students to increase their content knowledge and pedagogy strategies of the Common Core State 

Curriculum. 
PR Award Number: P334S140018

Grantee: University of Maine acting as UMF

Director’s Name: Kathryn F. Markovchick

State: Maine

Year One Funding: $2,970,042

Telephone Number: 207-685-3171

E-mail Address: kathryn@syntiro.org

Goal: To significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and 

succeed in postsecondary education. Objectives: (1) Increase the academic performance and 

preparation for postsecondary education of GEAR UP (GU-ME) students; (2) Increase the rate of high 

school graduation and participation in postsecondary education of participating students; and (3) 

Increase GU students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education, options, preparation 

and financing. 

Participating Schools and Students to be Served: Utilizing a priority model, 5,500 students in Year 1, 

adding new 7th grade students each year, GU-ME is projected to serve up to 7,600 students annually 

from 63 high poverty, rural schools in 26 Local Education Agencies (LEAs). 

Partners: Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, College Success Program, University of Maine, Finance 

Authority of Maine, GEM Software Development, Inc., Maine CITE Coordinating Center, Maine College 

Access Network, Maine College Circle ,Maine Department of Education/Maine Learning Technology 

Initiative, Maine Education Services, Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corporation , Midcoast Regional 

Professional Development Center, National Network of Partnership School Center on School, Family and 

Community Partnerships, Northern Maine Ed Collaborative, Syntiro, Thomas College, Washington 

County Consortium for School Improvement, Western Maine Education Collaborative, United Way of 

the Tri-Valley Area. 

Activities and Services: GU-ME will provide critical support and early intervention services to build the 

capacity of participating schools and partners to improve student achievement, increase the high school 

graduation rate and the number of students who enroll and succeed in college. GU-ME will change how 

schools provide students with opportunities for academic achievement and college attainment while 

simultaneously ensuring that students receive individualized support services. School leaders and staff, 

students, and the community will be supported to act in concert to improve college going and degree 

attainment. LEAs will receive a common set of services to analyze school data, create annual data-driven 

plans aligned with GU-ME Objectives and outcomes, and implement research-based activities to 

continuously improve program implementation. LEA needs will dictate the tailored services and support 

necessary to meet the project outcomes. Common needs across LEAs will drive regional and statewide 

professional development and other program support. Low- performing schools will include specific 

priorities and activities in their GU-ME plans and will receive more intensive project support. Specific 

activities include: coaching and training for principals to identify leadership strategies to increase 

student achievement; development of integrated, consolidated annual GU-ME/school improvement 

plans, and College Access Teams. Strategies to increase student achievement include Common Core 

State Standards curriculum and instruction alignment, tiered intervention systems and individualized 

learning plans. Strategies to support parent engagement include local parent liaisons that will provide 

financial literacy and other skill and knowledge development to GU-ME families.
PR Award Number: P334S140028

Grantee: Higher Education Services Corporation

Director’s Name: Jennifer Dwire

State: New York 

Year One Funding: $3,500,000

Telephone Number: 518-474-4060

E-mail Address: jennifer.dwire@hesc.ny.gov

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, as the applicant, submits the 

attached NY GEAR UP proposal. NY GEAR UP will work with a cohort of 6,000 students, starting in the 

7th grade, in middle schools that feed “dropout-factory high schools” and continuing through their first 

year of college. 

The singular goal of the NY GEAR UP project is to significantly increase the number of participating lowincome students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education or training. The 

Objectives of NY GEAR UP are to: 

1. Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education of participating 

students, with an emphasis on career readiness and college fit; 

2. Increase the rate of high school graduation, with an emphasis on college and career readiness; 

3. Increase participation in postsecondary education of participating students with an emphasis on 

college fit and alignment with high-demand fields and sectors of the economy; 

4. Increase participation in postsecondary education of participating students without need for remedial 

coursework; 

5. Increase the rate of college persistence and completion of participating students; and 

6. Increase student and family knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation and 

financing. 

NY GEAR UP will provide a multi-service package based on strong theory and research-based 

effective practices. Services to be provided include tutoring, mentoring, counseling, assessment tests, 

college tours and a non-cognitive skills curriculum. Services will be provided to students, families, and 

school professionals through a combination of State and national higher education industry leaders 

(including the State University of New York and City University of New York, The College Board, and the 

New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association), an independent evaluator, and high-quality, 

competitively selected service providers.
PR Award Number: P334S140010

Grantee: Ohio Board of Regents

Director’s Name: Rebecca Watts 

State: Ohio

Year One Funding: $3,500,000

Telephone Number: 614-466-0884

E-mail Address: rwatts@regents.state.oh.us

Ohio’s proposed 2014 GEAR UP state project will demonstrate the benefits of a comprehensive 

approach, which will embed a college-going culture and leverage significant improvements to Ohio’s 

educational system, increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and 

succeed in postsecondary education.

Four GEAR UP OHIO consortia, each comprised of educational, college access and business partners, will 

connect their resources to state resources to provide direct services that will include research-based 

academic interventions and professional development, as well as proven college access best practices 

used in Ohio’s successful 1999 and 2005 GEAR UP state projects. Three of the four OHIO GEAR UP 2014 

college access partners participated in Ohio’s 2005 GEAR UP program. These consortia, under the 

direction of and in partnership with the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), the Ohio Department of Education 

(ODE) and College Now Greater Cleveland (Ohio’s largest and the nation’s first college access 

organization), will help outside partners replicate their efforts statewide. OBR, ODE and College Now 

Greater Cleveland comprise a partnership of field experts and leaders in higher education, secondary

education and college access, making GEAR UP OHIO unique among other state programs. Three of the 

project's four goals reflect its commitment to eliminate major college access barriers for more than 

13,500 unduplicated priority students (40,000 duplicated; 5,800 annually) over the grant’s seven years 

to increase: 1) the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GEAR UP

OHIO students; 2) the rates of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education for 

GEAR UP OHIO students; and 3) GEAR UP OHIO students’ and their families’ knowledge of 

postsecondary options, preparation and financing.

Increased community involvement will help sustain the sites and scale up GEAR UP OHIO practices to 

other school sites and communities across the state, ensuring our fourth goals success: To ensure that 

the each of the four GEAR UP OHIO consortia will become self-sustaining, develop civic participation in 

their programs, and spread awareness and replication in other schools and communities across the 

state.
PR Award Number: P334S140033

Grantee: Oregon State University 

Director’s Name: Stephanie L. Carnahan

State: Oregon

Year One Funding: $2,600,000

Telephone Number: 541-346-5761

E-mail Address: carnahst@onid.oregonstate.edu

Oregon, especially rural Oregon, is facing a crisis in college access and success. Oregon is committed to 

addressing this crisis through implementation of the state’s third GEAR UP grant (GU3). After twelve 

years of working successfully with schools around the state, we are eager to turn our attention to new 

communities to bring about changes in school systems and cultures that will decrease this college access 

and success gap.

Twenty-one school districts have been selected to participate in this project based upon their readiness 

to engage and their commitment to not only participate for seven years, but to sustain their efforts once 

the grant funds have been exhausted. Schools in these 21 communities will partner with colleges and 

universities and local businesses and community members to create sustainable school cultures that 

support rigorous academic programs and high achievement for all students.

The work of this grant will focus on five goals: academically prepare all students for postsecondary 

education through rigorous curriculum and necessary academic support; create school environments, 

policies, and teacher expectations that support all students’ pursuit of a postsecondary education; link 

students’ career aspirations with their educational goals; foster relationships that encourage students’ 

academic success; and promote early awareness of college preparation, selection, admissions, financial 

aid, and other critical steps for college entry. Each school will utilize a variety of activities and strategies 

to address these goals. Statewide training opportunities and partnership development will support them 

in their work.

The result of our efforts will be school traditions that promote student achievement, encourage 

postsecondary enrollment, and build partnerships to sustain these efforts. With our outstanding 

personnel, comprehensive management plan, and robust evaluation strategy, we are poised to continue 

our success in the next seven years.
PR Award Number: P334S140007

Grantee: Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education 

Director’s Name: Sandi Sheppeard

State: Pennsylvania 

Year One Funding: $3,400,000

Telephone Number: 717-703-7238

E-mail Address: ssheppeard@passhe.edu

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has partnered with three urban 

Pennsylvania (PA) school districts—Allentown, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia—PASSHE’s 14 public 

universities, PA Treasury, PA Higher Education Assistance Agency, PA State Employees Credit Union, and 

the SAGE Consortium of Private Colleges to increase student achievement and preparation for 

postsecondary education in some of Pennsylvania’s lowest-achieving schools. Using the Collective 

Impact Model, each district leveraged dynamic community partnerships that include, but are not limited 

to, Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL), Da Vinci Science Center, The Hershey Company, Mackin 

Engineering Company, Trizen, Inc., and United Way. PA State GEAR UP-3 will provide high quality 

services for seven years—beginning in 7th grade—to 2,774 students, their families, teachers, and 

administrators from the feeder schools for Dieruff, Allen, Harrisburg, Harrisburg SciTech, Fels, and 

Frankford High Schools. PA State GEAR UP-3’s GOAL is to increase student achievement through datadriven decisions, develop a sustainable college-going culture, and establish a shared community vision 

for equitable college access and success. 

Objectives are:

1. Increase student achievement and preparation for postsecondary education by: implementing

evidence-based instructional strategies; using data to identify gaps in instruction; increasing the number 

of students who take rigorous courses; and providing academic support.

2. Develop a “college-going culture” by increasing the graduation rate and preparation for

postsecondary education by helping students: explore careers and requirements; understand college 

entrance requirements; comprehend financial literacy as well as financial aid options; identify the best 

college fit; and increase non-cognitive skills.

3. Increase parent knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing by having 

them understand: the need for students to take rigorous courses; college entrance requirements; 

financial aid options; financial literacy; and how to identify the best college fit.

4. Increase enrollment and first-year-to-second-year persistence in postsecondary education.

PA State GEAR UP Activities:

• Provide $1,300,000 in state scholarships and up to $27,750,000 in private scholarships.

• Use the Collective Impact Model to establish a shared community vision that creates a college-going 

culture in the target schools.

• Analyze and use data to identify gaps in instruction and implement evidence-based practices.

• Use early warning data systems to identify students at risk for dropping out and coordinate schooland community-based intervention services.

• Provide students with academic advising and tutoring support, career exploration, and opportunities 

to develop non-cognitive skills.

• Increase student achievement to reduce remediation and provide academic and social structures to 

facilitate first-year-to-second-year persistence.
PR Award Number: P334S140027

Grantee: State Council of Higher Education for Virginia 

Director’s Name: Paula Fisher 

State: Virginia

Year One Funding: $3,410,360

Telephone Number: 804-225-2612

E-mail Address: paulafisher@schev.edu

Project Goals and Objectives: GEAR UP Virginia (GUV) will begin with a cohort of 7th grade students in 

2014-15 and follow students through the first year of college. Beginning in Year 2, GUV also will work 

with homeless students (priority students) at target high schools due to the large increase in the 

homeless student population. Goals are to: 1) increase the academic performance and college 

preparation of GUV students; 2) increase the number of students in rigorous courses; 3) increase 

knowledge of college and financial aid among students and their families; and 4) improve college 

readiness rates; and 5) increase college enrollment rates. Objectives include those to increase the rate 

of students passing pre-Algebra and Algebra I by 9th grade; increase college readiness rates as defined 

by ACT and other indicators; increase the number taking SAT and ACT; and reduce the need for college 

remediation. 

Number of Students to be Served: 5,648 in Year 1 cohort and 300 priority students – 5,948 

Target Schools: Middle schools: Central, Buford, Bonner, Westwood, Dinwiddie, Walker-Grant, Skyline, 

Thomas Harrison, Linkhorne, Dunbar, Sandusky, Achievable Dream, Crittenden, Hines, Huntington, 

Dozier, Peabody, Gretna, John F. Kennedy, Sussex Central, Montross, Jeter-Watson, Addison Aerospace, 

Breckinridge, James Madison; Stonewall Jackson; Woodrow Wilson; K-8 schools: King & Queen, LawsonMarriott. 

Partners: Virginia Department of Education, Project Hope – Education for Homeless Children and Youth, 

University of Virginia, Virginia Community College System, Virginia Latino Higher Education Network, 

Virginia College Access Network, College Board, school districts of Charlotte County, Charlottesville, 

Covington, Danville, Dinwiddie County, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, King & Queen County, Lynchburg, 

Newport News, Petersburg, Pittsylvania County, Roanoke, Suffolk, Sussex County, Westmoreland 

County.

Activities and Services: GEAR UP services over a seven-year grant will include: 1) tutoring and 

mentoring; 2) summer programs to promote transition to high school and, later, transition to college; 3) 

professional development for teachers in core academic areas; 4) college and financial aid awareness 

workshops for students/parents; 5) visits to a variety of colleges; 6) counseling and advising related to 

college and career; 7) academic services in high school so that students do not need remediation in 

college; 8) outreach to help high school graduates as they transition to postsecondary education.
PR Award Number: P334S140001

Grantee: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission 

Director’s Name: Adam S. Green 

State: West Virginia

Year One Funding: $3,000,000

Telephone Number: 304-558-0655

E-mail Address: green@hepc.wvnet.edu

Overview: West Virginia (WV) is struggling to overcome devastating cycles of poverty and “brain drain,” 

stemming from low educational attainment rates and the absence of a college going culture. To help 

address these problems, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (the applicant, also 

known as HEPC) has developed a project proposal that aims to address the overarching GEAR UP (GU)

goal to significantly increase the number of students from low income schools who are prepared to 

enter and succeed in postsecondary education programs. WVGU’s project design is based on findings 

from scholarly research and theory, best practices and results from the State’s two previous successful 

WVGU grants. The proposed WVGU project is formulated to accomplish the following objectives:

Project Objectives:

• Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GU

students. (national GU Objective)

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

for GU students. (national GU Objective)

• Increase educational expectations and knowledge of postsecondary options, preparation,

and financing among GU students and their families (national GU Objective)

• Enhance educators’ knowledge to improve student achievement and success in

postsecondary education. (WVGU Objective)

Target area and students to be served: HEPC will partner with 10 high-need LEAs, consisting of 50 

schools. WVGU proposes a hybrid approach encompassing a cohort and priority model to serve more 

than 5,000 students annually. Through the cohort model, WVGU will serve an estimated 2,955 students 

in 35 schools starting with 7th graders and, later, 15 schools with 9th through 12th graders. Services for 

this cohort, the class of 2020, will begin in students’ 7th grade year and continue through their first year 

of postsecondary study. Under the priority model, WVGU will provide just-in-time services, such as 

financial aid counseling, college match advising and college transition assistance, to an average of 2,424 

high-need 12th grade students annually. Target LEAs are: Boone County, Fayette County, Mason County, 

Mercer County, Mingo County, Nicholas County, Summers County, Webster County, Wirt County, and

Wyoming County. Partners: In pursuit of project Objectives, WVGU will utilize various partners

including, but not limited to, WV four-year public institutions, the WV Council for Community and 

Technical College Education and its institutions, the WV Department of Education, the WV Department 

of Education and the Arts, the WV TRIO Association, the WV Association of Collegiate Registrars and 

Admissions Officers, the WV Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the WV Treasurer’s 

Office, the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP), the Kresge Foundation, 

ACT, College Board, and the American Council on Education.
FY 2014 GEAR UP Partnership Abstracts

PR Award Number: P334A140107

Grantee: Birmingham City Schools

Director’s Name: Spencer Horn

State: Alabama

Year One Funding: $2,919,674

Telephone Number: 205-231-4674

E-mail Address: shorn@bhm.k12.al.us

Birmingham City Schools (BCS) serves approximately 24,500 students in North Central Alabama. BCS 

students face barriers to postsecondary education: poverty, low incomes, high unemployment, high 

birth rate, high community crime, and significant gaps in achievement compared to state and national 

cohorts. 

The BCS GEAR UP Project is entitled Pathways to Success (PTS) and will serve a cohort of 3,650 students 

comprised of 6th and 7th graders enrolled in the 18 BCS middle and K-8 schools during the 2014-15 

school year. This cohort will be followed for seven years into the first year of postsecondary education 

for the initial 7th grade cohort. There are five PTS Project Objectives summarized below:

1. Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GEAR UP 

students.

2. Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education for GEAR UP 

students.

3. Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, 

preparation, and financing.

4. Increase percentage of GEAR UP students who enroll in and succeed in postsecondary education.

5. Increase the preparation of the project teachers and staff to teach and serve GEAR UP students.

The lead applicant for the GEAR UP grant will be Birmingham City Schools. 

Institution of Higher Education (IHE) Partners: University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Auburn 

University (AU). 

Community Partners include: 1) United Way of Central Alabama; 2) Bold Goals Coalition of Central 

Alabama with a broad range of 60 community-based partners from non-profit, business, and 

government sectors; 3) Big Brothers Big Sisters; 4) Birmingham Education Foundation; 5) Girls, Inc.; 6) 

Growing Kings; and 7) Breakthrough Birmingham. 

Financial partner: Regions Bank
PR Award Number: P334A140018

Grantee: Graham County Community College DBA Eastern Arizona College

Director’s Name: Carter McEuen

State: Arizona

Year One Funding: $1,113,600

Telephone Number: 928-428-8275

E-mail Address: CarterMcEuen@eac.edu

Eastern Arizona College (EAC) GEAR UP proposes to significantly increase the number of low-income 

students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education from Chinle, Fort Thomas, 

Globe, Miami, Payson, Pima, Safford, San Carlos, and Snowflake Unified School Districts serving 1,392 

students in the class of 2020. Thirty-seven percent of the proposed participants are Native American, 

three percent are Black/African American, 19 percent are Hispanic, and 41 percent are of White or other 

origins. Eleven percent of our Navajo and Apache students are identified as Limited English Proficient 

(LEP). The average percent of youth qualifying for the Free and Reduced Lunch program is 68 percent; 

the rate exceeds 81percent for our Native American schools. These partnering school districts have an 

enrollment of over 16,200 students living in rural communities which have the highest and most critical 

poverty rates in the country. The EAC GEAR UP’s vision is: 

“EAC and its GEAR UP Partners will work collectively, effectively, and efficiently so the class of 2020 

and future classes have the academic preparation, individual commitment, as well as the family and 

community support to succeed in college and careers.” 

This ambition will be accomplished by carrying out programs under the umbrella of the Three Pillars of 

GEAR UP Services: 

Pillar # 1, Academic Interventions: Student intervention through Arizona Response-to Intervention, 

GEAR UP Curriculum Framework, extended learning opportunities, improved instruction and counseling, 

peer mentoring, tutoring, professional development, horizontal and vertical curriculum mapping, 

rigorous and advanced placement courses, dual credit courses, after school and summer classes, school 

to work and internships, and data-driven instruction or decision making. 

Pillar # 2, Personal Responsibility and Citizenship: Character, personal responsibility, and citizenship 

development through improved personal relationships; respect and value for oneself and others 

through character education programs; increased counseling using site coordinators, site intervention 

teams, and counselor training; personal intervention and support coordinated with academic planning 

leading to high school graduation; college preparation assessments (i.e., ACT Aspire, ACT, SAT), 

academic and financial literacy toward postsecondary education; college awareness through early 

involvement in college activities; and job shadowing, internships, and leadership opportunities. 

Pillar # 3, Family, Community, and Partner Engagement: Interventions through increased involvement 

and training to enhance commitment to their students’ educational and career plans; higher 

expectations and understanding that college is accessible and affordable. Community outreach efforts 

to disseminate information through meetings, social media, community newsletters, newspaper articles, 

home visits, phone calls, and surveys. 
PR Award Number: P334A140148

Grantee: YPI Charter Schools (aka Bert Corona Charter School)

Director’s Name: Jesse Noonan

State: California

Year One Funding: $2,316,000

Telephone Number: 213-688-2802

E-mail Address: jnoonan@ypiusa.org

The San Fernando Valley GEAR UP program will target a cohort of 2,895 students attending a unique 

collaborative of charter, pilot, network partner, and traditional District schools in Los Angeles to prepare 

them for middle-to-high school transition, high school graduation, and college preparation, entry, 

retention and graduation. Objectives are to increase academic performance for postsecondary 

education, support students to be proficient/advanced (at grade level or higher) in core subjects, 

increase regular student attendance in school, increase readiness for high school graduation and college 

entry without remediation, increase rate of grade level advancement, high school graduation and 

enrollment in postsecondary education, and to increase cohort student and families’ knowledge of 

postsecondary education options and financing. 

Number of students to be served:

2,895 students

Target schools:

Francisco Sepulveda Middle School, Vista Middle School, Bert Corona Charter School, Vaughn Next 

Century Learning Center, San Fernando Institute of Applied Media (SFiAM), Discovery Charter High 

School, James Monroe High School, Sylmar Biotech Health Academy, YPI Valley Public Charter High 

School

Partners:

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), California State 

University, Northridge (CSUN), Los Angeles Mission College, the Youth Policy Institute (YPI), Elite Prep, 

the Unusual Suspects, All Aboard Tours, Road Trip Nation, and schools described above

Activities and services that will be implemented during the performance period:

Activities and services are designed to help students graduate from high school, enter postsecondary 

education and progress toward postsecondary graduation in the framework of the Los Angeles Promise 

Neighborhood (one of only twelve implementation grants awarded by the U.S. Dept. of Education). 

Services include outreach and recruitment, skills assessment, the creation of Individual Service Plans and 

‘Road Maps to College,’ case management and other supportive services, academic advising and 

counselors, academic tutoring (including STEM tutoring), test preparation (SAT, ACT), teacher 

professional development, expanded learning programs afterschool and in the Summer (including 

Summer Academies and Bridge programs), and Linked Learning Career Academies with internships and 

paid work experience. 

Services also include ‘near peer’ mentoring with college partners as well as adult mentoring support. 

The program will provide parent and family engagement services, helping students apply for college, 

such as college workshops, financial literacy and matched saving accounts. Students go on college field 

trips, and use UCLA College Corners placed at every school to prepare for college. 
PR Award Number: P334A140118

Grantee: Los Angeles Unified School District

Director’s Name: Micaela Vazquez Hahn

State: California

Year One Funding: $1,911,200

Telephone Number: 213-241-0145

E-mail Address: mjv1705@lausd.net

GEAR UP 4 LA (award # P334A110166) was awarded $20,552,000 over a seven-year period beginning in 

September 2011. Over 4000 students are currently being served by the project in the Los Angeles 

Unified School District (LAUSD). Now in its third year, the project has assembled a group of partners, 

school leaders, and community representatives, and has developed innovative programs to meet the 

program goals. 

Building on the successes of prior grants, GEAR UP 4 LA, as part of the LAUSD, is applying for a seven 

year GEAR UP grant. The proposed project will be located within the “Promise Zone” in Los Angeles. The 

three project middle schools, three span schools, and five high schools all meet the federal guidelines 

for high-need students (high level of poverty, second language issues, lack of rigorous course 

completion, and extremely low graduation rates). This proposal seeks to bring established and 

successful programs and partnerships to a new double cohort of approximately 2000 students in the 

sixth and seventh grade attending Berendo Middle School, Le Conte Middle, Young Oak Kim Academy, 

Bernstein Complex, West Adams Preparatory High School, and the Robert F Kennedy Community 

Schools Complex. 

The Project works to ensure the effective and most appropriate use of resources through thoughtful 

collaboration. All partnerships have been developed with the community in mind and include the 

University of California Los Angeles, Occidental College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles City 

College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, The Chicano-a Latino-a Foundation, Families in Schools, 

The Jaime Escalante Program, The College Board, SoCal CAN, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Study 

Smart Tutors, and All Aboard Tours. 

GEAR UP 4 LA aims to significantly increase student success in high school, persistence in college and 

preparation for life-long learning. Components of the program include a strong academic and financial 

counseling program for students and parents, intensive extended learning programs, professional 

development for teachers, early college readiness tests, concurrent enrollment programs, college visits, 

and adult, college and peer mentoring for students and parents. 

Ultimately GEAR UP 4 LA will advance the goals of the Promise Zone initiative and provide the expert 

guidance, service structures, and research- based support to increase the number of students 

graduating from high school, enrolling and completing a postsecondary education without the need for 

remedial support in English and math.
PR Award Number: P334A140008

Grantee: The Regents of the University of California

Director’s Name: Yesenia Cervantes

State: California

Year One Funding: $467,860

Telephone Number: 831-459-1831

E-mail Address: yesenic@ucsc.edu

The University of California, Santa Cruz Educational Partnership Center’s “Creating Pathways to College 

Success” proposes a GEAR UP partnership to serve 975 at-risk, underrepresented students in Los Arboles 

and Seaside middle schools and their corresponding high schools of Marina and Seaside. Located in the 

Central Coast, the proposed region to be served has an economy based primarily in agriculture, tourism, 

government, and other service sector industries where a disproportionate number of families are 

eligible for and participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meal program (88 percent). Only 14 percent of 

the region’s students assess into college-level English and even fewer, a mere five percent, into college 

level math. Moreover, a significant proportion is not enrolling in college after high-school. Only 38

percent of the region’s students enroll in college.

In response to the educational needs of students and families in this high-need region, the EPC has 

established three goals: 1) increase students’ academic performance and preparation for postsecondary 

education; 2) increase high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education; and 3) 

increase educational expectations for students as well as student and family knowledge of 

postsecondary options, preparation, and financing. Goal 1 performance measures include improved 

rates of completion in college preparation course sequences and rigorous and advanced placement 

courses, increased participation rates in college entrance exams, and increased rates of students 

assessing into college level courses. Goal 2 performance measures focus on impacting high school 

graduation, college enrollment and persistence indicators such as attendance, on-time promotion to the 

next grade level, passage of high school exit exams, large proportions of students completing college 

applications and financial aid forms, college enrollment in fall semester immediately after high school, 

and first-year college grade point averages above a 2.0. Goal 3 Objectives concentrate on boosting 

parents’ engagement and students’ and families’ knowledge of, and aspirations for, a college education.

Guided by best practices, recent research, strong theory and a unified framework of college-going and 

completion, the EPC will implement services to fill gaps for students, families, and teachers in the region. 

Students will receive: customized college and career counseling, financial aid advising and 

comprehensive mentoring; academic tutoring; grade-relevant college and career curriculum; services 

that extend and enrich the school day and year, such as summer college preparation academies, and; 

early college experiences and improved instruction aligned with the California Common Core State 

Standards (CCCSS). Parent college academies and leadership development workshops will empower 

families with knowledge and skills to help them support their child’s college aspirations while at the 

same time learning to support other parents. Teachers will participate in training on the CCCSS to align 

their expectations for curricula with those of higher education. Working collaboratively, EPC and its 

partners will implement services that create a sustainable college-going and completion culture across

secondary and postsecondary sectors, emphasizing college-readiness, choice, and fit.
PR Award Number: P334A140060

Grantee: Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation

Director’s Name: Vikash Lakahni

State: California

Year One Funding: $443,614

Telephone Number: 707-826-5381

E-mail Address: Vikash.Lakhani@humboldt.edu

The Humboldt State University (HSU) GEAR UP Program is designed to raise the educational expectation 

of low-income disadvantage youth within Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. These students face 

significant barriers that challenge their ability to graduate from high school, let alone enroll in postsecondary education. We hope to make a difference and become a catalyst that will encourage and 

promote systemic change. The goal is to increase: graduation rates, completion of rigorous curriculum, 

college application and enrollment, financial aid awareness and success in college. The challenges: 

• In some areas 50 percent of the homes are without electricity. 

• 22 percent of the students are living in poverty. 

• 63 percent of the targeted students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.

• 50 percent of the students live where internet service is limited or unavailable. 

• An average of 19 percent of students is completing a rigorous curriculum. 

• Targeted students are attending the lowest performing schools. 

• 34 percent of the targeted students have tested below basic in English and mathematics. 

• Early outreach programs are non-existent in Del Norte County. 
PR Award Number: P334A140110

Grantee: University Enterprises Corporation at California State University-San Bernardino

Director’s Name: Stephen Villasenor

State: California

Year One Funding: $2,406,741

Telephone Number: 909-537-3200

E-mail Address: stephen@csusb.edu

Project:

Goal: GEAR-UP will provide activities and support services to reach the overall goal of helping program 

participants obtain a secondary school diploma and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary 

education. 

Objectives: 

1. Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GEAR UP 

students, 

2. Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education for GEAR UP 

students, and 

3. Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, 

preparation, and financing. 

Number of Students Served: 3,400

Target Schools:

High School Middle School

Arroyo Valley Arrow view

Cajon Chavez

Indian Springs Curtis

Pacific Del Vallejo

San Bernardino Golden Valley

San Gorgonio King

Serrano

Shandin Hills

Partners:

Confirmed

San Bernardino City Unified School District

Excelencia in Education 

Destination College

Parent Institute for Quality Education 

EduGuide 
PR Award Number: P334A140117

Grantee: University Corporation at Monterey Bay

Director’s Name: Joy Brittain

State: California

Year One Funding: $900,795

Telephone Number: 831-582-3960

E-mail Address: jbrittain@csumb.edu

The University Corporation of Monterey Bay, on behalf of the California State University of Monterey 

Bay (CSUMB), located in Seaside, California, will utilize funding from the U.S. Department of Education 

to offer a GEAR-UP grant to 1,126 7th and 8th grade students located in the southern agricultural region 

of Monterey County, California. Twenty-seven percent of the population in the region lives below the 

poverty level and only five percent of the target area adults obtaining a baccalaureate degree. Only 19

percent of high school graduates have completed a rigorous program of study. Participating schools 

carry an 88 percent federal free/reduced lunch plan rate. The request of $5,918,543 of federal funding 

for this seven-year grant proposal will serve the target schools of San Ardo and San Lucas School, Vista 

Verde Middle School, Chalone Peaks Middle School and its accompanied two high schools, Greenfield 

and King City High School. This grant has been constructed to promote the success of the GEAR-UP 

program Objectives of increased academic performance, increased high school graduation and college 

enrollment and increased student and family knowledge about college. Specifically, this project will 

accomplish the national goals through: 1) the yearly increase in math competency (passing math 

course);, 2) an increase in GPA; 3) an increase in the successful completion of college-level coursework

while in high school; 4) an increase in the retention rate of high school graduation; 5) an increase the 

career pathway development,; 6) an increase FAFSA completion; and 7) an increase parent and student 

knowledge in college-readiness.

To accomplish the above Objectives this proposal plans on providing services and activities that increase 

student engagement, decrease student truancy and drop-out, and provide students with a 10-Year 

Career Plan to increase student motivation. Students who are at risk in math will attend a summer math 

academy to improve their math skills and concepts. Eighth grade students who are at risk of truancy and 

drop-out will attend a special summer academy using the Career Choices curriculum to help re-engage 

students and provide a motivational tool as they transition into high school. Career Pathways will be 

enhanced and developed at the high schools to offer students the opportunity of contextualizing 

academic concepts with real-world careers. As part of Career Pathways, students will engage in collegelevel coursework to ensure their college readiness level and to help decrease remediation at the 

university. This will be assisted by supplying Supplemental Instruction Leaders to assist students in 

“learning how to learn” while in these college-level courses. The grant will engage students and parents 

in the understanding of financial aid through workshops and by assisting families in completing the Free 

Application for Students Financial Aid (FAFSA). In addition, parents will take part in parent workshops

covering topics such as parent advocacy, financial literacy, and the A-G requirements (rigorous program 

of study). The cohort of students will be followed throughout the academic year through an Individual 

Learning Plan, tutoring, Satisfactory Academic Progress and intrusive advising for those who do not 

meet the benchmarks for each grade level. Academic and cultural field trips and a college tour will be 

offered to support the success of project Objectives and goals.
PR Award Number: P334A140119

Grantee: University Corporation at Monterey Bay

Director’s Name: Joy Brittain

State: California

Year One Funding: $1,209,199

Telephone Number: 831-582-3960

E-mail Address: jbrittain@csumb.edu

The University Corporation of Monterey Bay, on behalf of the California State University of Monterey 

Bay (CSUMB), located in Seaside, California, will utilize funding from the U.S. Department of Education 

to offer a GEAR-UP grant to 2,543 seventh and eighth grade students located in the cities of Seaside and 

Salinas, California. Twenty-five percent of the population in the region lives below the poverty level and 

only 17 percent of the target area adults obtaining a baccalaureate degree. Only 19 percent of high 

school graduates have completed a rigorous program of study. Participating schools carry a 76 percent

federal free/reduced lunch plan rate. The request of $7,735,474 of federal funding for this seven-year 

grant proposal will serve the target schools of Seaside, La Paz, and Washington Middle Schools that 

feeds into Seaside Middle School, Everett Alvarez and Salinas High Schools as well as El Puente School.

This grant has been constructed to promote the success of the GEAR-UP program Objectives of 

increased academic performance, increased high school graduation and college enrollment and

increased student and family knowledge about college. Specifically, this project will accomplish the 

national goals through: 1) the yearly increase in math competency (passing math course); 2) an increase 

in GPA; 3) an increase in the successful completion of college-level coursework while in high school; 4) 

an increase in the retention rate of high school graduation; 5) an increase the career pathway 

development; 6) an increase FAFSA completion; and 7) an increase parent and student knowledge in 

college-readiness.

To accomplish the above Objectives this proposal plans on providing services and activities that increase 

student engagement, decrease student truancy and drop-out, and provide students with a 10-Year 

Career Plan to increase student motivation. Students who are at risk in math will attend a summer math 

academy to improve their math skills and concepts. Eighth grade students who are at risk of truancy and 

drop-out will attend a special summer academy using the Career Choices curriculum to help re-engage 

students and provide a motivational tool as they transition into high school. Career Pathways will be 

enhanced and developed at the high schools to offer students the opportunity of contextualizing 

academic concepts with real-world careers. As part of Career Pathways, students will engage in collegelevel coursework to ensure their college readiness level and to help decrease remediation at the 

university. This will be assisted by supplying Supplemental Instruction Leaders to assist students in 

“learning how to learn” while in these college-level courses. The grant will engage students and parents 

in the understanding of financial aid through workshops and by assisting families in completing the Free 

Application for Students Financial Aid (FAFSA). In addition, parents will take part in parent workshops

covering topics such as parent advocacy, financial literacy, and the A-G requirements (rigorous program 

of study). The cohort of students will be followed throughout the academic year through an Individual 

Learning Plan, tutoring, Satisfactory Academic Progress and intrusive advising for those who do not 

meet the benchmarks for each grade level. Academic and cultural field trips and a college tour will be 

offered to support the success of project Objectives and goals.
PR Award Number: P334A140028

Grantee: Weld County School District

Director’s Name: David Reyes

State: Colorado

Year One Funding: $714,859

Telephone Number: 970-348-6040

E-mail Address: dreyes@greeleyschools.org

The Weld County School District 6 in Greeley, Colorado proposes to implement a seven-year GEAR UP 

(GU) grant (Project Promise) with the overarching goal of increasing the number of Cohort students 

(especially low-income students) that graduate from high school prepared to enter and succeed in 

postsecondary education. We will serve 1,706 students (87 percent of which are low-income)-834 sixth 

grade Cohort students and 872 seventh grade Cohort students in four middle schools (Franklin, John 

Evans [persistently lowest achieving schools], Brentwood, Heath) that will feed into four high schools 

(Greeley Central, Greeley West, Jefferson, Northridge). Our partners in this effort below include four

institutions of higher education and nine business/community agencies that have pledged significant 

matching contributions to ensure the success of the Greeley GU project.

 Aims Community College (CC)

 University of Northern Colorado

 Front Range Community College

 Aims Community College Foundation

 City of Greeley/Rodarte Center

 Global Refugee Center

 Greeley Chamber of Commerce

 Greeley Tribune

 Healthy Kids Club/University of Colorado Health

 High Plains Library District

 Larimer County Partners

 North Range Behavioral Health

Our three project goals align with the GU Program Objectives to increase student academic performance 

and preparation for postsecondary education, increase the rate of high school graduation and 

participation in postsecondary education, and increase student and parent knowledge of postsecondary 

options, preparation, and financing. Ten measurable project objectives and 33 performance measures 

will guide the project and measure progress toward accomplishing our goals. 
PR Award Number: P334A140182

Grantee: Hillsborough County Public Schools

Director’s Name: Lenegar, Jazheel

State: Florida

Year One Funding: $534,400

Telephone Number: 813-272-4828

E-mail Address: jazheel.lenegar@sdhc.k12.fl.us

The purpose of Hillsborough County Public Schools’ (HCPS) project, SCORE, is to expand opportunities 

and support for low-income students in the development of college readiness skills and to increase the 

numbers of students who are prepared to enter and successfully complete postsecondary education. 

Giunta and Eisenhower Middle Schools and Spoto and East Bay High Schools were selected for 

participation in this six-year project. The total number of participants to be served during the project 

period will be 10,301. This provides an average of approximately 1,717 students being provided services 

during each year of this project period. 

SCORE will address three broad goals in its project design: Goal 1—improve student achievement, with a 

focus on bringing all students to grade level in reading and mathematics by 2014; Goal 2—increase the 

academic achievement of all high school students; and Goal 3—ensure the accessibility, affordability, 

and accountability of higher education, and better prepare students and adults for employment and 

future learning. In addition to the required GPRA measures, HCPS proposes three project Objectives to 

support the goals and assess the impact of SCORE: 1—Increase the academic performance and 

preparation for postsecondary education of participating students; 2—Increase the rate of high school 

graduation and participation in postsecondary education of participating students; and 3—Increase 

educational expectations for participating students and increase student and family knowledge of 

postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. Performance measures for these goals 

and Objectives address attendance, success in rigorous course work, on-time promotion and graduation, 

college enrollment, and parent engagement. 

Major activities to ensure the accomplishment of goals and Objectives of SCORE are framed by four

research-based program design elements that will address student supports, parental engagement,

professional development, and data-driven decision making. The activities and project services will 

involve providing direct support and interventions to students, school personnel, and parents. Students 

will be provided access to AVID electives, a multitude of College Board supports, tutoring services, 

Summer Bridge programs, online resources and college planning tools and opportunities for leadership 

development. School personnel will be provided professional development activities including 

conference workshops, face-to-face trainings, and involvement in parent support initiatives. All 

personnel involved with SCORE will receive intensive and wide-ranging professional development from 

partners and vendors to ensure students receive instruction and support from well-prepared and 

knowledgeable educators. Major activities for parent engagement will encourage parental support and 

involvement including the creation of a SCORE Parent University, parent college awareness/planning 

portfolios, and opportunities for parents to join Parent Booster Organizations as well as the SCORE 

Steering Committee. Parents will also receive support in using the district’s online tools to track student 

progress. 
PR Award Number: P334A140038

Grantee: University of Hawaii

Director’s Name: Amy Agbayani

State: Hawaii

Year One Funding: $480,000

Telephone Number: 808-956-4567

E-mail Address: agbayani@hawaii.edu

The overarching goal of the GEAR UP Waipahu project is to serve 600 seventh graders from Waipahu 

Intermediate School—the largest middle school with the highest proportion of low-income students on 

the island of O'ahu in the State of Hawai'i—to succeed in and graduate from Waipahu High school in 

four years, and to prepare them to enter and succeed in college. The project will follow this cohort for 

the next seven years as they complete middle school, enter and graduate from high school, and upon 

entry and completion of their first year of college. There are three Objectives: 1) to increase the 

academic performance of and preparation for postsecondary education of GEAR UP students; 2) to 

increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education of GEAR UP 

students; and 3) to increase GEAR UP student and family knowledge of postsecondary education 

options, preparation, and financing.

Key activities include mentorship activities, regular academic advising, financial literacy and financial aid 

workshops, participation in challenging academic courses, credit recovery and credit enrichment during 

the summers, standardized test preparation and review, assistance in completing college and financial 

aid applications, and multiple college campus visits. Additionally, the project will offer in-class and online tutoring, a year-long Student Success Class for students in grades 7-12, school-based GEAR UP staff, 

access to college bridge and career exploration programs and participation in college learning 

communities. GEAR UP Waipahu will collaborate with 12 programs and offices at the University of 

Hawaii at Mānoa (UHM) and 11 key other educational and community partners. In addition to the target 

schools, these partners include Leeward Community College, American Savings Bank, All Aboard Tours,

Quantum Learning, GeoSTEM, IsisHawaii, Sariling Gawa, and Women in Oceania.
PR Award Number: P334A140132

Grantee: Northeastern University

Director’s Name: Wendy Stack

State: Illinois

Year One Funding: $5,783,200

Telephone Number: 312-563-7232

E-mail Address: w-stack@neiu.edu

Northeastern Illinois University, through the Center for College Access and Success, and the Chicago 

Public Schools District 299 will extend a comprehensive set of services to 7,229 disadvantaged middle 

and high school students to transform the way schools prepare students for high school and success in 

college. The seven-year project begins in 36 elementary and middle schools and feeds into 14 highneeds, low-achieving Chicago public high schools: Bogan, Hubbard, Sarah Goode, Farragut, Foreman, 

Harlan, Julian, Kelly, Morgan Park, Robeson, Roosevelt, Senn, Solorio, and TEAM Englewood. Partners 

include the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), City Colleges of Chicago, DePaul University, 

Loyola University Chicago, Roosevelt University, University of Illinois-Chicago; University of Chicago’s 

Consortium for Chicago School Research; and community-based organizations Brighton Park 

Neighborhood Council, Heartland Alliance, Youth Guidance and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The 

proposed project will accomplish three objectives. 

OBJECTIVE 1: By June 2021, increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary 

education of participating GEAR UP students. 

By June 2017, increase by 10 percent 8th grade students who pass pre-algebra over the baseline of 72

percent; by June 2018, increase by eight percent 9th grade students who pass algebra over the baseline 

53 percent; by June 2021, increase by four percent over the baseline of students who take two years of 

math beyond algebra by the end of 12th grade; increase by four percent over the baseline number of 

GEAR UP students who take science beyond biology by 12th grade; and by August 2021, increase by 

6percent the percentage of GEAR UP students who place into college-level math and English without 

needing remediation over baselines of 5.8 percent for math and 6.8 percent for English. 

By June 2021, 60 percent of parents of students will actively engage in activities associated with assisting 

their children to prepare for college. 

OBJECTIVE 2: Increase the rate of high school graduation and rate of participation in postsecondary 

education of participating students.

By August 2017, 70 percent of 9th grade students will be on track to graduate from high school in four 

years. 

By August 2021, increase by three percent students who graduate high school within four years over a 

baseline of 66 percent, increase by three percent students who enroll in college over a baseline of 44

percent, and by 2022, increase by four percent current and former GEAR UP students who are on track 

to graduate from college. 

OBJECTIVE 3: Increase the educational expectations for participating students and student/family 

knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. 

By June 2021, 85 percent of students and parents will demonstrate knowledge of available financial aid 

and the benefits of pursuing postsecondary education.
PR Award Number: P334A140204

Grantee: East St. Louis School District #189

Director’s Name: Demean Vaughn

State: Illinois

Year One Funding: $747,135

Telephone Number: 618-646-3056

E-mail Address: denean.vaughn@estl189.com

Goals and Objectives: The overarching goal of the District #189 GEAR UP Project will be to significantly 

increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. To 

achieve this goal, District 189 will focus on the following objectives: 

Objective 1: To increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education of 

District #189 students. 

Objective 2: To increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education 

for District #189 students. 

Objective 3: To increase the knowledge of District #189 students and their families about postsecondary education options, preparation and financing.

Students Served: In year one, the project will serve a cohort of students that includes all students 

entering the seventh grade and eighth grade in fall 2014. Based on current enrollment, that’s 934 

students. All students will continue to be served at the high school level and into their first year of 

college. 

Target Schools: The first year project cohort will be attending the following schools in fall 2014: Lincoln 

and Clark. 

Partners: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Harris-Stowe State University, Southwestern 

Illinois College, University of Illinois, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Maberry Consulting & Evaluation 

Services, Innovative Education Concepts, and New Life Church. 

Activities and Services: Our approach for achieving the project goal and Objectives has four components: 

1) supporting school improvement efforts underway in the district; 2) increased parent involvement and 

education support; 3) providing individual student support for college preparation; and 4) implementing 

a thorough professional development plan. 
PR Award Number: P334A140114

Grantee: University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc.

Director’s Name: Ngondi Kamatuka

State: Kansas

Year One Funding: $320,000

Telephone Number: 785-864-3401

E-mail Address: kamatuka@ku.edu

A critical need for the University of Kansas (KU) GEAR UP Program exists in Topeka Public Schools. The 

University of Kansas submits this formal application to apply for federal funds to support the goals of a 

GEAR UP Program for an 84-month period to commence September 1, 2014 and terminate August 31, 

2021. The program will serve a total of 400 students in the 6th and 7th grade cohorts. The program’s 

partners include Topeka Public Schools, University of Kansas, Reach for Tomorrow Inc., and Kaplan.

The goal of the KU GEAR UP program is to develop, plan, and implement programming that

will ensure that the student cohorts from the Class of 2020 and 2021 will be prepared, academically 

and financially, to enter into, excel in, and graduate from postsecondary educational institutions. 

Along with this goal, the KU GEAR UP Program proposes three objectives: 1) 65 percent of the student 

cohort will have increased academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education by 

participating in and completing rigorous courses on schedule. 2) 65 percent of students will graduate 

from high school, enroll in postsecondary institutions that meets their needs, and be placed into collegelevel Math and English without the need for remediation. 3) 70 percent of the parents of participating 

students will be actively engaged in activities associated with assisting students in their academic

preparation for college. The GEAR UP Program will serve 400 sixth and seventh graders who will attend 

Chase and Eisenhower Middle Schools in the Topeka Public Schools. GEAR UP will continue to serve the 

cohorts until they graduate from Highland Park High School in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The GEAR 

UP Program, along with our community and business partners, will provide educational services, career 

exploration, and many enrichment opportunities to student cohorts. In particular, KU GEAR UP’s 

interventions will emphasize the development of noncognitive skills in participating students, which 

have been shown to be critical predictors of high academic achievement and persistence through high 

school and college.

The creation of an Early Warning System will enable us to identify students at risk of dropping out early 

in the project so that these students can receive targeted interventions. Academic interventions 

including English Language Arts and Math Learning Stations, after-school and weekend programs and 

summer programs will boost the academic achievement of participating students. We will offer financial 

literacy, banking education, and asset-building accounts for program participants to make college feel in 

reach for low-income students and families. Furthermore, the College Preparation Program will offer 

guidance for the student cohorts and their families through the college admissions process from start to 

finish. The student cohorts will be exposed to intensive preparation for the PSAT and ACT college 

entrance exams, as well as tutoring and academic support. 
PR Award Number: P334A140169

Grantee: Wichita State University

Director’s Name: Riccardo L. Harris

State: Kansas

Year One Funding: $740,000

Telephone Number: 316-978-7810

E-mail Address: riccardo.harris@wichita.edu

Wichita State University (WSU) proposes a project entitled “North Wichita GEAR UP” (NWGU) to serve 

925 students annually within the Wichita Public School District, USD 259.The grant will provide services 

to five middle schools: Mead, Hamilton, Marshall, Pleasant Valley and Hadley and two high schools 

(North and West). More than 89 percent of all students in the NWGU target area qualifies for free and 

reduced lunches. All target schools have been ranked among the worst in the state of Kansas; None of 

the target middle and high schools met the “No Child Left Behind” Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 

2011 and all have similarly underperformed in recent state assessments. Dropout rates at the target 

schools are high and especially alarming among disadvantaged students. The project proposes to offer 

three early intervention services: 1) academic programming to improve reading and math performance, 

2) workshops to students and families on post-secondary education preparation, and 3) professional 

development for teachers and staff. In addition, the project will implement the GRAD 2020 (Grit, 

Resilience, Achievement, Determination) approach in instilling non-cognitive characteristics that will 

help students to persevere excel and defer rewards to accomplish personal goals.

GOAL 1: Increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education for GEAR UP 

students.

Objective 1: In the second, third, fourth and fifth years of the project (cohort grades 8-11), the number 

of students taking the recommended math class (Pre-Algebra for 8th, Algebra for 9th, one advanced 

class for 10th and two advanced classes for 11th), will increase by five percent per year as compared to 

the previous non-NWGU cohorts.

Objective 2: By year five of the grant (cohort grade 11), the target cohort will improve state assessment 

reading scores by 15 percent as compared to the previous non GU 11th grade cohort‘s reading scores.

Objective 3: By year five of the grant (cohort grade 11), Teachers and support staff who attend

professional development programming and complete pre- post- assessments will show an average 25

percent increase in knowledge of college access information and strategies. GOAL 2: Increase the rate 

of high school graduation and enrollment in post-secondary education

for GEAR UP students.

Objective 4: Graduation rates for the GU cohort will increase by six percent by the end of the 6th year.

GOAL 3: Increase South Wichita GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary

education options, preparation and financing.
PR Award Number: P334A140178

Grantee: Wichita State University

Director’s Name: Victor E. Chavez

State: Kansas

Year One Funding: $740,000

Telephone Number: 316-978-7800

E-mail Address: vic.chavez@wichita.edu

Wichita State University (WSU) proposes a project entitled “South Wichita GEAR UP” (SWGU) to serve 

925 students within the Wichita Public School District, USD 259.The grant will provide services to four 

middle schools: Coleman, Curtis, Jardine and Truesdell and two high schools (South and Southeast). 

More than 86 percent of all students in the SWGU target area qualify for free and reduced lunches. All 

target schools have been ranked among the worst in the state of Kansas; None of the target middle and 

high schools met the “No Child Left Behind” Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2011 and all have 

similarly underperformed in recent state assessments. Dropout rates at the target schools are high and 

especially alarming among disadvantaged students. The project proposes to offer three early 

intervention services: 1) academic programming to improve reading and math performance; 2) 

workshops to students and families on post-secondary education preparation; and 3) professional 

development for teachers and staff. In addition, the project will implement the GRAD 2020 (Grit, 

Resilience, Achievement, Determination) approach in instilling non-cognitive characteristics that will

help students to persevere excel and defer rewards to accomplish personal goals.

GOAL 1: Increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education for

GEAR UP students.

Objective 1: In the second, third, fourth and fifth years of the project (cohort grades 8-11), the

number of students taking the recommended math class (Pre-Algebra for 8th, Algebra for 9th, one

advanced class for 10th and two advanced classes for 11th), will increase by 5percent per year as

compared to the previous non-SWGU cohorts.

Objective 2: By year five of the grant (cohort grade 11), the target cohort will improve state

assessment reading scores by 15 percent as compared to the previous non GU 11th grade cohort‘s

reading scores.

Objective 3: By year five of the grant (cohort grade 11), Teachers and support staff who attend

professional development programming and complete pre-/post-assessments will show an

average 25 percent increase in knowledge of college access information and strategies.

GOAL 2: Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education

for GEAR UP students.

Objective 4: Graduation rates for the GU cohort will increase by six percent by the end of the sixth year.

GOAL 3: Increase South Wichita GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary 

education options, preparation and financing.
PR Award Number: P334A140030

Grantee: Berea College

Director’s Name: Dreama Gentry

State: Kentucky

Year One Funding: $5,513,600

Telephone Number: 859-985-3853

E-mail Address: dreama_gentry@berea.edu

GEAR UP Promise Zone brings together Berea College, the lead applicant, seven postsecondary 

institutions (community colleges, private colleges, public institutions), 14 high-poverty school districts in 

rural Appalachian Kentucky, and 16 national and regional organizations, including the Kentucky Science 

and Technology Corporation, College For Every Student, and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance 

Authority. 

Berea College GEAR UP Promise Zone will serve 6,892 students in 37 schools. The area is a federally 

designated Promise Zone in Southeastern Kentucky. The 13 counties in our target area are among the 

poorest counties in the nation. Our residents are severely under-educated. Current high school 

graduation rates, college-going rates, and six-year bachelor’s degree attainment rates predict a dire 

future for youth in our target area. If we maintain the status quo, only 21 out of 100 seventh graders—

our first GEAR UP cohort—will receive a bachelor’s degree. 

GEAR UP Promise Zone proposes a comprehensive set of services–to parents, students and schools–that 

supports a sustainable college-going culture. Our seven-year service plan includes the replication of 

effective, evidence-based programs and practices. The overarching goal of our project services is to 

focus teachers, administrators, parents, and students on preparing for success in post-secondary 

education. GEAR UP Promise Zone services have been designed to increase the number of students 

taking rigorous courses that reflect challenging academic standards, to increase secondary school 

completion, to increase students’ and parents’ knowledge of and access to financial assistance for 

postsecondary education, to reduce the need for remedial education at the post-secondary level, and to 

increase students enrolling and succeeding in postsecondary education. Services are aligned along three 

strands: Building Academic Skills, Lifting Educational Aspirations, and Connecting College Pathways. 

Data will be continuously collected and analyzed to ensure that services are appropriate to student 

needs. Our strong research base and experience working with students K–16 will ensure that all services 

are age- and grade-level appropriate. Our evaluation includes a quasi-experimental design that will 

produce evidence of promise. 
PR Award Number: P334A140080

Grantee: Lafayette Parish School System

Director’s Name: Traci Aucoin

State: Louisiana

Year One Funding: $1,888,723

Telephone Number: 337-521-7165

E-mail Address: traci@louisiana.edu

ABSTRACT: Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) in Lafayette, Louisiana proposes Lafayette GEAR UP to 

serve 2,361 cohort students (1,229 sixth grade and 1,132 seventh grade youth) attending six low-income 

middle schools - Acadian, Breaux, Carencro, Judice, Lafayette, Scott (79 percent average free / reduced 

lunch rate) and four feeder high schools - Acadiana, Carencro, Lafayette, Northside. Lafayette GEAR UP 

Partnership Proposal will provide much-needed services for students attending eligible, high-needs, lowperforming schools (all cohort middle school free/reduced lunch rates far exceed minimum 50 percent

threshold). Lafayette GEAR UP will link targeted schools with outstanding local, regional and national 

partners – University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana State University, South Louisiana Community 

College, Smithsonian Institution, Acadiana Center for the Arts, LUMCON, National Wetlands Research 

Center and multiple community businesses, agencies and organizations – to diversify learning options 

for low-income students, improve academic achievement in underserved schools, elevate below 

average graduation rates and increase postsecondary education attainment. Lafayette GEAR UP –

designed by a collaborative Task Force of school administrators, teachers, parents, students, higher 

education partners and community leaders – includes the following multi-layered services – (Layer 1: 

Rigorous Curriculum and Academic Support; Layer 2: Academic Enrichment; Layer 3: College Fit; Layer 4: 

Student Accountability; Layer 5: School / Faculty Programs; and Layer 6: Parent / Family Programs. LPSS

plans to pursue Competitive Preference Priority # 1 and the Invitational Priority. Implementation of the 

project during the seven-year grant period will help struggling schools achieve one overarching goal with 

three federal program objectives and two project objectives:

LGU Project Goal: To promote equal access to education and ensure that low-income, high needs

students are well prepared to pursue and succeed in postsecondary education.

Objective 1: Increase academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education.

Objective 2: Increase rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education.

Objective 3: Increase student/family knowledge of postsecondary options/preparation/financing.

Objective 4: Increase diversity of perspectives in Lafayette education programs.

Objective 5: Strengthen non-cognitive skills of traditionally-underserved students.

Performance measures for Objectives, including eleven GPRA indicators, will be used to measure

outcomes. Lafayette Parish School System will contract with EduShift, Inc., an external evaluation

firm, to conduct thorough evaluation of the project utilizing a Timeline, Logic Model and quasi 

experimental study with equating to promote continuous improvement and evidence of promise.
PR Award Number: P334A140195

Grantee: Special School District No. 1

Directors Name: Eric Molho

State: Minnesota

Year One Funding: $2,048,000

Telephone Number: 612-668-0549

E-mail Address: eric.molho@mpls.k12.mn.us

Special School District No. 1 – also known as Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – proposes MPS GEAR 

UP, a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) project. The 

project will serve 2,560 students in 17 of the district’s secondary schools. MPS GEAR UP is a seven-year 

project. The project begins with 6th and 7th grade cohorts and follows the 7th grade cohort through 

their first year of college and the 6th grade cohort though their senior year. Collectively, 85 percent of 

all the students the project serves qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch. Furthermore, the students 

have significant academic deficits when compared to their peers in the state and nation. MPS has a 

qualified team of partners that includes Minneapolis Career and Technical College, University of 

Minnesota, Achieve MPS, Project Success, YMCA, Search Institute, and Minnesota Council on Economic 

Education. 

The overlying goal for the project is to significantly increase the number of low-income students who 

are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. To meet this goal, the project planning 

committee has identified five Objectives. The Objectives are as follows: 

• Objective. 1: Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for 

GEAR UP students.

• Objective. 2: Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education 

for GEAR UP students.

• Objective. 3: Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education 

options, preparation, and financing.

• Objective. 4: Increase percentage of GEAR UP students who enroll in and succeed in postsecondary 

education. 

• Objective. 5: Increase the preparation of the project teachers and staff to teach and serve GEAR UP 

students. 

Each Objective has performance measures to determine the project’s effectiveness. Spectrum Research 

Evaluation and Development will serve as the project’s external evaluator to provide both summative 

and formative evaluation. 
PR Award Number: P334A140205

Grantee: Appalachian State University

Director’s Name: Jennifer Wilson-Kearse

State: North Carolina

Year One Funding: $2,748,792

Telephone Number: 828-262-8016

E-mail Address: wilsonkearsejj@appstate.edu

The Appalachian State University (ASU) GEAR UP Partnership project will ultimately

serve 9500 students and their families through a four-grade cohort model, working with the school

districts of Alleghany, Clay, Graham, Madison, Rutherford, Swain, Wilkes, and Yancey counties. This 

North Carolina (NC) Appalachian region is known for chronic poverty perpetuating a cycle of low 

educational attainment. Through innovative programming that will utilize formative assessment to 

continually improve outcomes and high quality instruction, the proposal answers the call of President’s 

Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” and NC Governor McCoy’s initiatives to increase student’s college- and 

career-readiness and success.

The ASU GEAR UP project will address all required GPRA measures, process indicators, the 

Innovative Priority and Competitive Preference Priority-1, as well as project specific indicators. Planning 

for the project included a survey of teacher attitudes, college access services, and the academic 

readiness of students. Survey results informed project-specific goals unique to the schools and 

communities the project intends to serve. Each project service and process indicator is designed to track 

students’ progress towards meeting their own personal goals for postsecondary education and career.

Data collection and analysis are central to the design. The Alert database for College and Career 

Entry and Success System (ACCESS), which Appalachian state created, will enable formative assessment 

of data to identify which instructional strategies are working to improve student performance. ACCESS is 

connected to the NC Department of Public Instruction as well as the National Student Clearinghouse for 

third-part verification of student outcomes. The evaluation will include descriptive, exploratory, 

quantitative, and qualitative data and a quasi-experimental design with matched comparison groups as 

well as imbedded randomized control trials thus enabling recognition of practices that show evidence of 

promise or statistically significant study findings. The Appalachian State GEAR UP project will make a 

substantial investment in evaluation thereby increasing the body of evidence for college access 

programs in rural America.

Project services are designed to achieve stated outcomes, with a focus upon STEM 21st Century 

skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, and professional development to improve teacher 

effectiveness and assist with the integration of the National Common Core Standards. 
PR Award Number: P334A140206

Grantee: Appalachian State University

Director’s Name: Jennifer Wilson-Kearse

State: North Carolina

Year One Funding: $1,436,840

Telephone Number: 828-262-8016

E-mail Address: wilsonkearsejj@appstate.edu

The Appalachian State University (ASU) GEAR UP Partnership project will ultimately serve 5151 

students and their families through a four-grade cohort model, working with the school districts of Ashe, 

Burke and Watauga counties. This North Carolina (NC) Appalachian region is known for chronic poverty 

perpetuating a cycle of low educational attainment. Through innovative programming that will utilize 

formative assessment to continually improve outcomes and high quality instruction, the proposal 

answers the call of President’s Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” and NC Governor McCory’s initiatives to 

increase student’s college- and career-readiness and success.

The ASU GEAR UP project will address all required Government Performance Results Act (GPRA)

measures, process indicators, the Innovative Priority and Competitive Preference Priority-1, as well as 

project specific indicators. Planning for the project included a survey of teacher attitudes, college access 

services, and the academic readiness of students. Survey results informed project-specific goals unique 

to the schools and communities the project intends to serve. Each project service and process indicator 

is designed to track students’ progress towards meeting their own personal goals for postsecondary 

education and career.

Data collection and analysis are central to the design. The Alert database for College and Career 

Entry and Success System (ACCESS), which Appalachian state created, will enable formative assessment 

of data to identify which instructional strategies are working to improve student performance. ACCESS is 

connected to the NC Department of Public Instruction as well as the National Student Clearinghouse for 

third-part verification of student outcomes. The evaluation will include descriptive, exploratory, 

quantitative, and qualitative data and a quasi-experimental design with matched comparison groups as 

well as imbedded randomized control trials thus enabling recognition of practices that show evidence of 

promise or statistically significant study findings. 

The Appalachian State GEAR UP project will make a substantial investment in evaluation thereby 

increasing the body of evidence for college access programs in rural America. Project services are 

designed to achieve stated outcomes, with a focus upon STEM 21st Century skills such as critical thinking 

and problem solving, and professional development to improve teacher effectiveness and assist with the 

integration of the National Common Core Standards. Programming capitalizes on the strengths and 

experiences of national, state, regional, and local partners. Partners include the LEAs of the three school 

districts, each of the three universities in the region, local community colleges, and a wealth of 

businesses and community partners.

The project addresses both the Priority Preference 1 with a detailed description of replicating 

college ‘match’ and ‘fit’ research in the rural communities of the NC Appalachian service region along 

with a response to the Invitational Priority: the development of noncognitive skills.
PR Award Number: P334A140162

Grantee: St. John’s University 

Director’s Name: Yvette Morgan

State: New York

Year One Funding: $442,729

Telephone Number: 718-990-2532

E-mail Address: morgany@stjohns.edu

St. John’s University Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs 

initiative (SJU GEAR UP) is proposed as a seven-year project for 650 low-income, predominantly Hispanic 

and African-American students from schools in northwestern Queens County, New York to address: (1) 

low student academic outcomes; (2) factors leading to inadequate knowledge of preparing for college 

for students of color, including lack of understanding about financing college; (3) low postsecondary 

enrollment, persistence, and completion for students of color; and (4) high instructional needs based on 

lack of teacher professional development and preparation to teach to common core state standards. In 

2012-2013 (the latest extensive longitudinal graduation data available), the average number of regular 

education students that graduated with an advanced Regents diploma in our target high school was 13

percent. The advanced Regents diploma is universally accepted among public and private colleges and 

universities in the New York State region as a minimum indicator of academic preparedness for college 

level work. The following goals address these gaps:

Goal 1—improve the number of students obtaining a secondary diploma and enrolling in

postsecondary education

Goal 2—promote student and family understanding of financial literacy as well as academic

requirements for college

Goal 3—increase student enrollment in rigorous and challenging curricula and coursework to decrease 

the need for remediation at the postsecondary level

Goal 4—enhance teacher quality through professional development on common core state standards

Goal 5—enhance the use of data to improve instructional practice, student outcomes, and program 

implementation

Goal 6—foster the replication and sustainability of GEAR UP intervention strategies for after federal 

funding has ceased

The following fourteen strategic partners join us in this effort: two local educational agencies

(the New York City Department of Education at Joseph Pulitzer Intermediate School - I.S. 145 and 

William Cullen Bryant High School), seven community based organizations (HANAC Community Services 

Center, Goodwill Industries, the Variety Boys and Girls Club, the Louis August Jonas Foundation, the 

Center for Science Teaching and Learning, King of Kings Foundation, and the Queens Public Library), one 

state agency (New York State Higher Education Services Corporation), one college program in addition 

to St. John’s University (The Consultation Center at Yale University), and three businesses (Mindset 

Works, The College Board, and TD Bank). They will match equally the $442,729 per year requested from 

the U.S. Department of Education. Students will be prepared for college through program activities

including comprehensive mentoring, tutoring, enriched technology, college awareness workshops, 

residential summer programs, and a dual enrollment program. 
PR Award Number: P334A140123

Grantee: University of Central Oklahoma

Director’s Name: Myron Pope

State: Oklahoma

Year One Funding: $719,200

Telephone Number: 405-974-5370

E-mail Address: mpope5@uco.edu

The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), located 12 miles north of Oklahoma City, proposes to serve 

899 low-income students from high-poverty, low-performing urban middle schools and high schools 

within four school districts located in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, serving seven middle 

schools and four high schools. The schools are as follows: Millwood Elementary School (K-8), Millwood 

High School, Del Crest Middle School, Kerr Middle School, Jarman Middle School, Monroney Middle 

School, Del City High School, Midwest City High School, Crutcho Elementary School (K-8; students 

transition to Mid-Del high schools), Western Heights Middle School, and Western Heights High School.

The goal of the GEAR UP Central program is to build systematic change within the target schools 

creating a culture transformation that will lead to greater amounts of college-going students who are 

better prepared for postsecondary education. The GEAR UP Central program will serve eligible lowincome students within the target schools in a cohort model designed to build a college-going culture 

within the 7th grade students and within the target schools themselves.

The project Objectives are as follows: 1) Increase the academic performance and preparation for 

postsecondary education of all GEAR UP students; 2) Increase the rate of high school graduation and 

enrollment in postsecondary education for GEAR UP students; and 3) Increase GEAR UP students’ and 

their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation and financing. The GEAR UP 

Central project Objectives will be met by providing participants with a comprehensive array of services 

that will reduce their need for remediation, increase their high school graduation rates; increase their 

knowledge of access to financial assistance for postsecondary education, and ultimately increase the 

percentage of students enrolling and succeeding in college. The services have been designed based on 

effective practices of Early College High Schools, Near-Peer Mentoring, use of the Snyder Hope Scale,

college fit (matching students with academically challenging colleges based on their academic

performance and interests), and financing postsecondary education.

GEAR UP Central participants and their parents will receive the following project services through the 

seven-year grant period: academic counseling using the Snyder Hope Scale to measure participants’ 

resilience and college-going mindset; enrollment and completion of Oklahoma’s rigorous academic 

curriculum; intensive college entrance exam preparation; academic tutoring; Saturday Academies; nearpeer mentoring; concurrent enrollment opportunities; college fit and college selection activities; 

application/admissions workshops; campus visits; parental involvement opportunities; Oklahoma’s 

Promise workshops and application assistance; financial aid/financial literacy activities; retention 

activities during year 7, and Central Round Up (college transition program). 
PR Award Number: P334A140180

Grantee: School District 1J Multnomah County

Director’s Name: Angela Nusom 

State: Oregon

Year One Funding: $1,207,200

Telephone Number: 503-916-5404

E-mail Address: anusom@pps.net

Portland’s Mobilizing for College (MC) serves a Cohort of 784 sixth grade students and 725 

seventh grade students beginning at 15 low-income schools across Portland Public Schools and ending 

up in three neighborhood high schools as well as colleges and postsecondary institutions across the 

country seven years later. 

MC is structured around four goals, each with multiple measurable objectives: (1) increase the 

academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GEAR UP students; (2) increase 

the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education for GEAR UP students; (3) 

increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, 

preparation, and financing; and (4) increase the career awareness and readiness aligned to 

postsecondary education for GEAR UP students. 

These goals and their objectives are based on identified needs and local, state, and national 

data. The schools have poor rates of meeting benchmarks on the State assessment exam in math and 

reading/Language Arts and high school graduation rates are unacceptable. The gap between the district 

graduation rate and the three GEAR UP schools ranges from 13 to 18 percentile points. While from 37

percent to 64 percent of the high school seniors enroll in postsecondary education, six years later only 

four percent – 19 percent of the Class of 2005 from the target high schools completed a Bachelor's 

degree. Within the school district area and the State of Oregon, over 29 percent of adults currently have 

a Bachelor's degree or higher. Schools included in the proposal are Jefferson, Madison and Roosevelt 

High Schools; George Middle Schools, and Astor, Peninsula, Cesar Chavez, Harrison Park, Lee, Scott, 

Vestal, Beach, Boise-Eliot/Humboldt, Chief Joseph/Ockley Green, Faubion, King, Vernon, and Woodlawn 

K-8 Schools. 

MC is a partnership program and relies on those partners for the full strength of the project. 

Portland State University, Portland Community College, Marylhurst College, and Mt. Hood Community 

College are all involved. The College Board is a primary provider of professional development. 

BizConnect and the Workforce Development Board bring students to professional careers aligned to 

postsecondary education. The Center for Intercultural Organizing will braid community organizing and 

parent involvement to cement the third leg of the stool for balanced student achievement: student, 

school, and family. 

Key elements include the unique involvement of matched college work-study students paired 

with MC students and schools as Near Peer Mentors; changes in school climate through speakers and 

materials; involvement of Special Education and English Language Learner professional staff to ensure 

that disabled students and second-language students remain challenged and engaged; twice-annual 

Family Nights increasingly focused on the college culture and financial aid; Summer Challenge Camp 

every year for students, with project- and team-based learning led by college faculty and graduates. 
PR Award Number: P334A140100

Grantee: School District of Philadelphia 

Director’s Name: Alexandre Robinson-Rogers

State: Pennsylvania

Year One Funding: $4,370,400

Telephone Number: 215-400-6850

E-mail Address: arobinsonrogers@philasd.org

The School District of Philadelphia’s Philadelphia College Readiness Collaborative 

Communities (CRCC) project will seek to dramatically improve the chances for post-secondary 

success for a target cohort of 5,463 students, enrolled for the 2014-2015 school year, in feeder 

patterns that serve some of Philadelphia’s highest poverty and at-risk schools. The project will 

increase the capacity of schools to address the needs of each student to receive college and 

career readiness preparation, as well as change the culture of each school so that future 

generations of students can benefit from the CRCC GEAR UP project.

The goals of the CRCC are to: (1) increase the academic performance and preparation for 

postsecondary education for GEAR UP students; (2) increase the rate of high school graduation and 

enrollment in postsecondary education for GEAR UP students; and (3) increase students’ and their 

families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation and financing. The objectives are 

to increase: the rate of pre-algebra completion; grade promotion; the student’s on-track for graduation;

standardized test scores in reading and mathematics; the average daily attendance rate; the rate of 

Algebra 1 completion; the number of high school credits earned; the rate of completion of two years of 

mathematics beyond Algebra 1; students’ non-cognitive skills; the high school graduation rate; college 

enrollment; the percentage of students who feel their postsecondary education provider is an 

appropriate “fit”; the number of students enrolled in non-remedial math and English courses; the 

freshman year completion rate; SAT or ACT completion; FAFSA completion; the percentage of parents 

who participate in assisting students in academic preparation for college activities; and student/parent

knowledge of the college selection, application, and financial aid process. Another objective of the 

project is to decrease the number of student suspensions.

The CRCC will partner with the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel (IHE partners), the Urban 

League of Philadelphia/TriZen LLC (local organization), Texas Instruments, Scholastic, and College Board 

(nationally-renowned educational companies), and Metis Associates (independent evaluator).

Activities include: intensive early math intervention and support; technology infused 

classrooms; STEM programming; leadership development and support for teachers implementing the 

curriculum; enhanced preparation for college-level completion or CTE programs of study; opportunities 

for rigorous coursework; career and college mentoring; early identification/assessment of student needs 

to reduce remediation; development of non-cognitive skills; parent and family engagement; financial aid

education and planning; individualized/enhanced academic and college prep counseling, including 

college fit; and college entrance test alignment and preparation. There are 35 target elementary/middle 

schools that feed into the CRCC high schools. 
PR Award Number: P334A140210

Grantee: Richland School District Two

Director’s Name: Arlene Bakutes 

State: South Carolina

Year One Funding: $1,377,206

Telephone Number: 803-738-3316

E-mail Address: abakutes@richland2.org

Local Education Agency (LEA) Lead Applicant: Richland School District Two in Columbia, South Carolina 

Partnering School Districts: Calhoun County, Laurens 55, and Laurens 56 School Districts 

Goal: To significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and 

succeed in postsecondary education without need for remediation.

Objectives:

1) to increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education for GEAR UP 

students;

2) to increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education for GEAR 

UP students; and

3) to increase educational expectations for participating students and increase student and family

knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing.

Number of students to be served: 2,036 students 

Nine degree-granting Institution of Higher Education (IHE): Claflin, College of Charleston, Columbia 

College, Frances Marion College, Lander College, Midlands Technical College, Orangburg Technical

College, Presbyterian College, and University of South Carolina.

17 Agencies: BB & T, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Calhoun County NAACP, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, 

Carson Funeral Home, Fairlawn Church, Heyward A.M.E. Church, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent 

Teen Pregnancy, Skills for Life & Work, St. Matthews Christian Center, St. Paul Methodist Church, Tri 

County Electric, Upper Savannah REC, and Greater YMCA of Laurens County.

Activities and Services: The program includes many activities which are focused on student academic 

success leading to a successful postsecondary education experience without the need for remediation. 
PR Award Number: P334A140055

Grantee: Desoto Independent School District 

Director’s Name: Debbye Garner

State: Texas

Year One Funding: $1,125,557

Telephone Number: 972-274-8212

E-mail Address: debbye.garner@desotoisd.org

DeSoto Independent School District (ISD), a Local Education Agency (LEA) proposes to implement a 

seven-year GEAR UP Partnership program entitled, Linking Education To Success (LETS) GEAR UP in 

collaboration with the following institutions and agencies: University of Texas-Austin, Cedar Valley 

College, Prairie View A&M University, Princeton Review, SureScore, Edge, Career Cruising, Texas Alliance 

of Black School Educators, Region 10 Education Service Center, Solar Turbines, Texas Instruments, and 

EGT Institute, Inc. Schools: The proposed GEAR UP program will be implemented in one high-need 

school district, three middle schools and two high schools in north Texas. DeSoto is a small north Texas 

suburb located just 15 miles south of Dallas. DeSoto’s total population consists of 60,237 residents of 

which 68 percent are African-American, 10 percent are Hispanic, and 42 percent are high school 

graduates with no college. In DeSoto there are over 6,037 households with children under the age of 18 

of which 21 percent are minority, single female-led family households and over 29 percent fall below 

the poverty level. 

Goal: Create communities of highly-effective learners, particularly of at-risk, low-income, underserved, 

minority learners of color, through the delivery of rigorous academic courses aligned to college and 

career readiness standards to ensure ALL students are college ready. 

The objectives are: 1) Increase cohort students’ academic performance to adequately prepare them for 

postsecondary education; 2) Increase the percentage of high school cohort graduates, including their 

awareness, readiness, and participation in postsecondary education; 3) Increase cohort students’ 

educational expectations and students’ and parents’ knowledge of postsecondary education, options, 

preparation, and financial obligations; and 4) Increase the percentage of cohort students enrolling, 

attending, persisting in and graduating from postsecondary education.

DeSoto ISD and its partners will implement a strategy focused on the needs of the target students, 

educators, and parents. Each year, the program will educate, serve, and support 1,407 sixth (683) and 

seventh (724) grade at-risk, underserved low-income students of color at an annual cost of $800 per 

student for over seven years through their first year of college. At DeSoto ISD high school students can 

choose from one of five College and Career Academies to earn college credit and explore careers. 

Similarly, middle school students participate in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and 

Mathematics) education through iSTEAM3D Academies.
PR Award Number: P334A140160

Grantee: Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Director’s Name: Mary L. Gonzalez

State: Texas

Year One Funding: $1,043,996

Telephone Number: 361-593-2129

E-mail Address: kamlp00@tamuk.edu

The Texas A&M University-Kingsville GEAR UP Partnership (TKGU) will utilize a two-cohort model to 

provide comprehensive, educational-outreach services to the students, teachers, and parents at three 

of southeast Texas’ most at-risk middle schools—Browne and Driscoll in Corpus Christi and Memorial in 

Kingsville. Beginning in the fall of 2014, TKGU will serve 1,305 students in the 6th and 7th grades at 

these schools and continue serving these students through the end of 12th grade.

TKGU will provide a broad and strategic array of services that result in the accomplishment of GEAR UP 

program’s three objectives: (1) increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary 

education of participating students; (2) increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in 

postsecondary education of participating students; and (3) increase students’ and their families’ 

knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. These services will include 

(but not be limited to) age-appropriate, college-admissions and financial-aid counseling; in-class and 

after-school tutoring; after-school and summer academic programs; college visits; career-awareness 

counseling; and professional development opportunities for target-school teachers.

The primary provider of TKGU services will be the project’s fiscal agent, Texas A&M UniversityKingsville’s (TAMUK) Office for Student Access (OSA). OSA’s highly experienced personnel and strong 

links with the community will enable TKGU “to significantly increase the number of low-income students 

who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.” Leveraging the resources of OSA 

and TAMUK will enable TKGU to utilize a lean and efficient management structure and there by dedicate 

the bulk of TKGU personnel to providing direct services to students, their parents, and their teachers at 

the school sites.

Other TKGU partners will include the Kingsville Independent School District, the Corpus Christi 

Independent School District, Kaplan, Pearson, Boys and Girls Club (Corpus Christi and Kingsville) and the 

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
PR Award Number: P334A140076

Grantee: Central Washington University

Director’s Name: Julie Guggino

State: Washington 

Year One Funding: $2,593,600

Telephone Number: 509-963-2640

E-mail Address: gugginoj@cwu.edu

Central Washington University (CWU) and the Northwest Learning and Achievement Group (NLA) are 

lead agencies in Project SOAR2, a seven year GEAR UP project to help more than 3,242 students (Classes 

of 2020 and 2021) in eleven districts – Oroville, Tonasket, Omak, Brewster, Chelan, Manson, Wenatchee, 

Quincy, Highland Richland and Easton, prepare for, enroll in, and complete postsecondary programs. 

This two-grade cohort comprises a student body the size of one large suburban high school, but 

represents the future for eleven rural communities across a vast, rural region in north central 

Washington. Poverty rates (free and reduced lunch rates) range from 50 to 97 percent. If these students 

move into college, an estimated 87 percent will be first generation college students. Most students are 

Hispanic, low income White, and Native American. Most families rely on seasonal farm labor wages and 

depend on social services. 

Partners: Included in the project are eleven forward-thinking and courageous school districts, faculty 

from multiple departments on the main Ellensburg campus of Central Washington University, the 

University of Washington School of Medicine, LIGO on the Hanford Reservation, LearnCore – an affiliate 

of ASEE - the American Society for Engineering Education, Naviance Career and College Planning, the 

College Board, and many affiliates. 

Goal: To prepare students to enroll and persist in postsecondary education. 

• Objective 1: Increase students’ academic performance, preparation for, enrollment, and completion of 

postsecondary program by classroom rigor and academic supports = RIGOR. 

• Objective 2: Increase students’ and families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options; show 

them how student efforts can make college affordable =AFFORDABILITY. 

• Objective 3: Focus on ways to make education relevant to students: advance STEM learning, highlight 

high level careers in rural areas, elevate Spanish language skills = RELEVANCE. 

Activities and Services: In this region there are two kinds of work: low-paying and seasonal agricultural 

jobs and high-paying newly expanding high tech STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) 

careers as new companies are drawn to the area by cheap electricity provided by Columbia River dams. 

We will steer students to high wage jobs. For STEM careers, students must complete college or a 

technical program. This project will partner with schools to augment science and math curricula, 

improve teacher preparation, and connect districts to the STEM community to build engaging, 

standards-based, rigorous curricula and enrichment activities that will significantly strengthen math and 

science performance. 
PR Award Number: P334A140102

Grantee: Highline Public Schools

Director’s Name: To Be Determined

State: Washington 

Year One Funding: $1,156,000

Telephone Number: 206-631-3045

E-mail Address: TBD@highlineschools.org

Highline Public Schools (HPS), Community Center for Education Results, Dream Project at the University 

of Washington, and Highline College have joined together to form the Highline GEAR UP Partnership. 

HPS, supported by its partners, is committed to a vision that every student is known by name, strength, 

and need, and graduates ready for college, career, and citizenship. The GEAR UP objectives align closely 

to our strategic plan, which outlines the bold goal that 95 percent of students graduate, prepared to 

choose their future. 

The Highline GEAR UP Partnership project’s objectives are:

_ 95 percent of HPS students increase their academic performance and 75 percent are academically

prepared to succeed at college-level work

_ 95 percent of HPS students graduate from HS and 85 percent enroll in postsecondary education

_ 95 percent of HPS students and families increase their educational expectations and knowledge of

postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing.

Located just south of Seattle in King County, Highline serves a diverse spectrum of families and is one of 

the fastest growing regions of Washington State. HPS is home to over 19,000 students, 70 percent

qualify for free and reduced price lunch, 24 percent are English language learners, and 4.3 percent are

homeless. Many students come from immigrant homes and represent approximately 94 nationalities 

and 113 different languages.

The Partnership is poised to provide a better future for HPS students through a comprehensive,

research-based strategy to meet the objectives described above. GEAR UP activities and services

include:

_ Standards-Based Instruction with extra time and support to demonstrate mastery of standards

_ Case management by key adults to catch early warning signs and outreach to families

_ Infusion of AVID strategies to build college-going identity and academic habits

_ Strong Advisory program for all students to build college awareness and non-cognitive skills

_ Support for enrollment and success in rigorous courses

_ Summer programs each year 7th-12th grades

_ Expanded college access, career awareness, and financial aid mentoring

_ Highline Promise scholarship program

_ Programs for families to increase college awareness

The Highline GEAR UP Partnership will support 1445 students in cohort 1 and similar numbers in cohorts 

2 and 3, for a total of 4130 students total over a six years. 

09/24/2014