**Abstract**

Applicant name

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR

Contact information

Stephanie Carnahan

stephanie.carnahan@oregonstate.edu

541-737-2633

Project goals and objectives: The percentage of students who pass Algebra 1 or its equivalent by the end

of ninth grade will increase by 5 points by the end of the grant; Each year, 95% or more of students will

be promoted on time to successive grade levels; The percentage of regular attenders will increase by 5

points by the end of the grant; The percentage of students passing their math courses will increase by 5

points by the end of the grant; The percentage of GU students passing their English Language Arts

courses will increase by 5 points by the end of the grant; The percentage of students taking at least one

dual credit course will increase over baseline by end of the grant (target to be set at baseline); Each year,

80% or more of GEAR UP students in college will report they are getting Cs or better; Each year, 60% or

more of students will complete FAFSA/ORSAA; Each year, 75% or more of students will report they

have learned about careers that interest them; Each year, 75% or more of students will report they know

about postsecondary options and college entrance requirements; Each year, 75% or more of students will

report they know about sources of financial aid; Each year, parent participation in college and career

readiness activities will increase by 2 points over baseline; Each year, 90% or more of alumni will report

their high school helped them prepare for life after high school; Each year, at least 75% of students will

report that they will complete a college degree or certificate at any time; Each year, the percentage of

educators who believe that students would benefit from postsecondary education will increase 2 points;

Each year, at least 75% of school staff will report that their school's college-going culture is improving;

The percentage of students who talk to peers about postsecondary education will increase by 5 points by

the end of the grant; Each year, 60% of former GEAR UP students who are not in college will report they

plan to enroll in the future; The percentage of seniors who graduate from high school will increase by 1

point each year; The percentage of current and former students who enroll at an IHE will increase by 5

points by the end of the grant; Each year, 70% or more of current and former GU students who enrolled at

an IHE will persist to the second year.

Activities and services: Challenging curricula and rigorous coursework; supports (advising, tutoring,

enrichment, clubs, credit recovery, and summer programs); Mentoring, SEL, and positive behavioral

supports; Resources, and assistance with career exploration; college visits and fairs; College Application

Week; College Exploration Week; college and career clubs, classes and lessons; financial aid information;

career interest inventories/tracking; workplace experiences ;College and career visuals and centers;

GEAR UP Week; Decision Day; development of postsecondary plans; meaningful relationship with an

adult; Data exploration to promote effective teaching and equitable disciplinary practices; CTE and Life

Skills courses; curriculum development; technology; educator PD; Educator PD, partnership development; Data exploration and staff activities to elevate and communicate high expectations;

refinement of schools’ mission and policies; development of partnerships; educator PD; Student-led

conferences; •Dissemination of financial aid information; family events; newsletters; College and career

décor and center; awards and celebratory events

Number of students to be served: 133,000

Partners: Advancement Via Individual Determination, ASPIRE, Education Credit Management

Corporation College Place, Financial Beginnings, Metis, National Council for Community and Education

Partnerships, Northwest Positive Behavior and Interventions Support, Office of Student Access and

Completion, Oregon Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Oregon Colleges and

Universities (at least 14), Oregon State Treasury, Seeds Training, Texas Instruments, The Ford Family

Foundation

Performance period September 1, 2021 – August 31, 2028

**Abstract**

New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)

Albany, New York 12255

Contact Person: Nona Donovan Email: nona.donovan@hesc.ny.gov Phone: 914-450-2459

New York State Higher Education Services Corporation’s (HESC) proposed **2021 – 2028**

**NYGEAR UP Grant**will serve 6,200 7th grade students attending middle and PreK-8 schools1

with high poverty levels, proficiency scores on NYS English Language Arts and mathematic

Assessments far below the state average for ALL students and feed into targeted project high

schools. In New York State, the ELL population has the lowest graduation rate, highest rate of

chronic absenteeism and the fewest number of participants in any advanced course work.

Therefore, project high schools were identified using the following criteria:

• At least 50 percent of their students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch;

• Four-year graduation rates for ELL students at 65 percent or below;

• 40 percent or below of 12th grade students scored in the Commanding Level of the New

York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test; or

• 65 percent or below of ELL students scored proficient (levels four or five) on the 12th

grade Regents Exam for Comprehensive English (required for graduation).

For the 2021 – 2028 GEAR UP grant, recent data has highlighted the need for NYGEAR UP to

focus on supporting literacy skills for all students in high-needs schools and particularly English

Language Learners (ELL students) in those schools, as well as increasing graduation rates and

college enrollment rates. To accomplish this, HESC has identified 3 project objectives:

**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; and **Objective 3:**Increase GEAR UP

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

financing.

Based on research and best practices, a suite of activities has been developed to achieve project

objectives. To increase academic performance and the rate of graduation, NYGEAR UP will

offer tutoring/homework Assistance, ELL language immersion classes, STARI (strategic

adolescent reading intervention), Regents Prep, peer-mediated instruction, the At-Risk Initiative,

Project APEX (Advancing Potential for Excellence), mentoring (College and Career Clubs and

Cornell University Kessler Scholar Mentors), counseling and staff professional development.

and Counseling, Teacher ELL PD. To increase students’ and their families’ knowledge of

postsecondary education options, preparation, financing and enrollment in postsecondary, the

following activities will be implemented: College Readiness and Career Exploration Workshops,

college tours and fairs, summer academies, bridge programs and campus-based enrichment

programs, the College Application Boot Camps, SUNY and CUNY on-site application days

FAFSA Texting Program, Financial Literacy and FAFSA Completion Workshops, parent

workshops and academies. Assisting HESC in providing services to students, families and

teachers are the selected project sites and NYGEAR UP state partners, SUNY, CUNY, CICU,

NYS Department of Labor, Cornell University’s Kessler Scholars, NCCEP and RBERN.