***OMB Approval No: 1840-0782***

***Expiration Date: 02/28/2027***

**U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**

**Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP)**

**Financial Status and Program Performance Final Report**

**for State and Partnership GEAR UP Grants**

Cover Sheet

1. PR/Award Number: 

(Located in box 2 of your grant award notification (GAN))	

2. Name of Grantee: 

3. Address: 

4. Name of Project Director/Contact Person: 

2

Telephone Number: 

  E-mail Address: 

5. Name of Authorized Representative: 

Telephone Number: 

E-mail Address: 

6. Report Period:to 

Month/Day/Year	Month/Day/Year

To the best of my knowledge and belief, by signing below I certify that (1) all information in this annual performance report is true and correct, and my entity will remain in compliance with the terms and conditions of this grant described in the Grant Award Notification (GAN), applicable GEAR UP competition Notice Inviting Applications (NIA), GEAR UP Statute (20 U.S.C. 1070a-21—1070a-28), GEAR UP regulations in 34 CFR part 694, and all other applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

I acknowledge that failure to submit true and correct information, failure to operate the GEAR UP program in accordance with the statute and regulations described above, or failure to remain in compliance with the terms and conditions of this grant may result in liability under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq.; OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 C.F.R. part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 C.F.R. part 3485; and 18 U.S.C. § 1001, as appropriate, and/or other enforcement actions.

Name of Project Director (Print)	Name of Authorizing Representative (Print)

Signature and Date	Signature and Date

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0782. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 65 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit*(*20 USC § 1070a-21 et. seq.; program regulations in 34 CFR Part 694). If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application or survey, please contact Ben Witthoefft, Office of Postsecondary Education (202-453-7576, ben.witthoefft@ed.gov) directly.

# INSTRUCTIONS:

In accordance with 34 CFR § 75.720 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), all grant recipients are required to submit a final performance report. Before we can officially close out your grant, you must submit a final performance report to us by no later than 90 days after the grant expires.

This set of forms is the Financial Status and Program Performance Final Report for GEAR UP State and Partnership projects (hereafter cited as Final Report). A Final Report is used by the Department of Education to determine whether recipients of discretionary grants have made substantial progress towards meeting the objectives of their respective projects, as outlined in their grant applications and/or subsequent work plans. In addition, the final report allows the Department of Education to evaluate each grant project’s fiscal operations for the entire grant performance period, and compare total expenditures relative to federal funds awarded, and actual cost-share/matching relative to the total amount in the approved grant application. 

The final report consists of a cover sheet and six sections. The cover sheet must be completed and signed by the Project Director (or designated representative, if need be) and the certifying official and returned to the Department of Education along with the seven sections on or before the due date. Grantees are expected to complete all questions in the report. Please write “Not Applicable” or “N/A” if a question does not pertain to your project.

Unless otherwise noted, please provide information for the Final Report that is in accordance with the duration of your GEAR UP grant performance period.

The final program performance and financial status reports are reviewed by the GEAR UP staff to ensure that grant recipients have achieved the goals of the GEAR UP grant program, are reporting information that demonstrates successful achievement of expected outcomes, and are in compliance with applicable Department regulations. Thus, please note: the final program performance and financial report review will determine if the GEAR UP grant is ready to be closed in “good standing” or needs to remain open for further departmental post-award action. If the report has not been received or the information in the report does not demonstrate successful achievement of expected outcomes, the Department of Education may, among other things, issue a noncompliance letter to the particular grant recipient.

We strongly encourage you to draw down on funds necessary to cover costs incurred while implementing the grant and meet the cost share/matching on approved budgets by no later than 120 days after the grant expires. Once we have determined that all of the close-out requirements and all other terms/conditions of your grant award have been met, we will send an official closeout notification to you.

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# SECTION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Please describe the extent to which you have implemented all program activities and components planned for your grant. Highlight your major outcomes, successes, and concerns. (no more than 8,000 characters)

# SECTION II: NARRATIVE INFORMATION

Please address the following questions:

1) What aspects of your program do you think were most successful (had the greatest impact)? Why? (no more than 8,000 characters)

2) What barriers or problems did you encounter in administering your grant, and how did you address these problems? (no more than 8,000 characters)

3) Please describe the progress your project made towards accomplishing the proposed objectives of your project as outlined in your grant application or subsequent workplans (i.e., describe the extent of making “substantial progress” towards meeting the project objectives and achieving the goals of the GEAR UP program). (no more than 8,000 characters)

In the table below, please list your Year 1 – Year 7 objectives, and indicate what activities took place with respect to each of these objectives, as well as the results of those activities.

4) What are some of the “lessons learned” from operating your GEAR UP project? That is, if GEAR UP was now in Year 1, what would you do differently? (no more than 3,000 characters)

5) What was the effect of your GEAR UP project on participants’ academic achievement/performance and preparation for postsecondary education (i.e., the impact of your project on those served)? (no more than 3,000 characters)

6) Describe how your project’s activities and outcomes are likely to be sustained over time. Describe the systemic changes that have occurred in your school(s). (no more than 3,000 characters)

7) Describe your project’s success and challenges in advancing your approved project evaluation plan for program improvement during the activity reporting period. (no more than 3,000 characters)

8) Please explain any other matter that you need to address or just want to share with the U.S. Department of Education that would be helpful to the Department in evaluating your performance or understanding the contents of your closeout report. (no more than 3,000 characters)

# SECTION III: GRANT ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

9) Please describe any significant changes in your project design since the approval of your grant application (*e.g.*, changing from individual tutoring to group tutoring or placing more emphasis on enrichment activities rather than remediation). How did these changes affect your budget, federal expenditures, or matching contributions? (no more than 8,000 characters)

10) Please describe any changes to the roles of your partners during the six or seven years of your project. Describe any partners who have been added to your grant since the onset. Did the role of any of your partners in your final project year change significantly since they initially served your project? Did any partner(s) discontinue their participation in your grant? (no more than 8,000 characters)

11) If you are a Partnership grantee that offers a scholarship component for postsecondary education or if you are a State grantee that has not received a full waiver of the requirement to use GEAR UP funds for scholarships, please provide: (a) the total amount of **Federal** funds that was reserved over the entire project period for scholarships; (b) the total amount of Federal scholarship funds that have been disbursed; (c) the number of students receiving such disbursements; and (d) information regarding where the scholarship funds are held pending distribution to former GEAR UP students (*e.g.*, are the funds in a trust account?). (no more than 3,000 characters)

12)  If you are a Partnership grantee that offers a scholarship component for postsecondary education or a State grantee that has not received a full waiver of the requirement to use GEAR UP funds for scholarships, please provide: (a) information about the amount of **match**scholarship funds that was reserved over the entire project period for scholarships; (b) the total amount of match scholarship funds that have been disbursed; (c)the number of students receiving such disbursements; and (d) information regarding where matching scholarship funds are held pending distribution to former GEAR UP students (*e.g.*, are the funds in a trust account?). (no more than 3,000 characters)

13) How many students are eligible to receive a GEAR UP scholarship?[footnoteRef:2] [2:  Note: An eligible student is defined in §1070a–25(g) as a student who (1) is less than 22 years old at the time of first scholarship award under this section; (2) receives a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent on or after January 1, 1993; (3) is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a program of undergraduate instruction at an institution of higher education that is located within the State’s boundaries, except that, at the State’s option, an eligible entity may offer scholarship program portability for recipients who attend institutions of higher education outside such State; and (4) who participated in the activities required under section 1070a-24(a) of this title.] 

14) a. Of the eligible students identified in question #13, how many have received a scholarship that meets the GEAR UP scholarship requirements as of the submission of this report? If providing an estimate, please describe the methodology used for estimating the number of students receiving scholarships[footnoteRef:3]. (no more than 5,000 characters) [3:  Note: Requirements for a GEAR UP scholarship are listed at 34 CFR 694.14, including the requirement that the minimum scholarship amount be not less than the minimum Federal Pell Grant amount for the year the student will be utilizing the GEAR UP scholarship. For the 2023-2024 school year, the minimum Federal Pell Grant amount is $750. Please refer to 34 CFR 694.14 for the detailed requirements.] 

b. Other than those students counted in question #14a, are additional eligible students expected to receive a scholarship that meets the GEAR UP scholarship requirements after this report is submitted? Please explain. (no more than 5,000 characters)

c. Of the eligible students identified in question #13, how many students do you expect will not receive a scholarship that meets the GEAR UP scholarship requirements? Please explain the reasons (e.g., there is insufficient funding available). (no more than 5,000 characters)

**15)***Answer all parts of question 15 only if your GEAR UP project was approved for a waiver of, or exception to, the scholarship requirement, in 2019 or later.*

Of the students counted in question #14a –  a. How many have received a GEAR UP scholarship funded entirely from GEAR UP project funds? 

b. How many have received a scholarship using non-GEAR UP funds which were supplemented with GEAR UP project funds to meet the GEAR UP scholarship requirements?

c.  How many have received a scholarship using non-GEAR UP funds that meet the GEAR UP scholarship requirements without supplemental GEAR UP project funds?  If providing an estimate, please describe the methodology used for estimating the number of students receiving scholarships. (no more than 5,000 characters)

d. For the scholarship funds that came from outside of GEAR UP project funds, please list the sources for those funds, and the amount of aid and number of scholarships provided to former GEAR UP students from those sources. If providing an estimate, please describe the methodology used for estimating these figures. (no more than 5,000 characters)

**16)***Answer all parts of question 16 only if your GEAR UP project was approved for a waiver of the scholarship requirement in 2023 or later*.

Of the students counted in question #14b –  a. How many are expected to receive a GEAR UP scholarship funded entirely from GEAR UP project funds? 

b. How many are expected to receive a scholarship using non-GEAR UP funds that will be supplemented with GEAR UP project funds to meet the GEAR UP scholarship requirements?

c.  How many are expected to receive a scholarship using non-GEAR UP funds that meet the GEAR UP scholarship requirements without supplemental GEAR UP project funds?

d. For the scholarship funds that will come from outside of GEAR UP project funds, please list the sources for those funds, and the estimated amount of aid and number of scholarships expected to be provided to former GEAR UP students from those sources. (no more than 5,000 characters)

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# SECTION IV:	DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

**Demographic Data:**Please complete the following tables requesting demographic data on GEAR UP students.

17) Students Served:****Please complete the following table indicating the number of students served by your project.

If an aggregate, unduplicated headcount cannot be provided, please provide an explanation. (no more than 3,000 characters).

**18)****Participant Distribution by Ethnic Background**	The following table regarding the ethnicity/race background of GEAR UP students is mandatory and will be used by the Department in reporting on the ethnicity/race characteristics of students participating in the program.  For students who do not self-identify their race/ethnicity, use the race/ethnicity unknown category.  The ethnicity/race categories used in this section are consistent with the Department’s policy on the collection of racial and ethnic information.  These categories are defined as follows:

**Ethnicity**

**Hispanic or Latino** – A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

**Race**

**American Indian or Alaska Native**– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliations or community recognition.

**Asian**– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.  This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, and the Philippine Islands. ****

**Black or African American**– A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

**Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander** – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii or other pacific islands such as Samoa and Guam.

**White**– A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

**Two or more races**

**Ethnicity and/or race unknown**

Please report on the actual number of students in your cohort(s) during the entire performance period  (i.e., number of students served).  This number may be different from the number served in the final year, because some students may have moved or dropped out in earlier years.  Please note:  If this number is not available, indicate the number served in the final project year of your project.

If your project was unable to accurately respond to the above question, please use the space below to provide a brief description of the challenges or barriers that prevented you from responding. (no more than 3,000 characters)

# SECTION V: GEAR UP SECONDARY EDUCATION OUTCOMES

This section of the report requests outcome information for the students you served during the entire performance period of your GEAR UP project. Please base your responses on information that is relevant at termination date of your GEAR UP project. These student academic achievement data are directly linked to the performance measures and outcome data that are part of GEAR UP’s GPRA Performance Indicators.

19) Academic Engagement Among GEAR UP Students:*(This question is optional for the 2024 FPR submission.)*

**Step One:**Did your grant project serve 6-10th grade students during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Two:**Complete the table below indicating academic engagement of GEAR UP students during the final year of the grant (Year 6 or 7). Academic Engagement is defined as students who have not failed a term of their core English/Language Arts (ELA) or mathematics courses. 

Instructions for completing the table: 

a. In column (a), record the total number of unduplicated GEAR UP students enrolled in the grade level. 

b. In column (b), record the number of unduplicated GEAR UP students for which ELA or Math grades are not available to report. 

c. In column (c), record the number of unduplicated GEAR UP students with enrollment in at least one term of a core ELA or math by grade level during the reporting period. 

d. In column (d) record the number of unduplicated GEAR UP students from column (c) who did not fail a term of their core ELA or math courses during the reporting period by grade level. 

*Note: “Term” refers to annual, semester, trimester, quarter, or other primary marking period used by the Local Education Agency.*

20) Algebra 1 Enrollment and Completion:****

**Step One:**Did your grant project serve 9th grade students during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Two:**Please complete the following table indicating the number of unduplicated GEAR UP students who enrolled in and/or completed Algebra I or its equivalent by the end of the 9th grade (this includes students who enrolled in and/or completed Algebra I prior to 9th grade.)

21) FAFSA Completion:****

Please complete the following table by identifying (a) the total unduplicated number of 12th grade GEAR UP students served during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7); (b) if applicable, the total unduplicated number of GEAR UP students for whom data are available; (c) the total unduplicated number of 12th grade students who completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the end of the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7); and (d) the total unduplicated number of 12th grade students who did not complete the FAFSA by the end of the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7). 

**Step One**: Did your grant project serve high school seniors (12th grade) during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Two:**Did your grant serve 12th grade cohort students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “21A. Cohort Students” 

• No: Please proceed to Step Three of this question 

**21 A)**Cohort Students:

**Step Three:**Did your grant project serve priority students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “21B. Priority Students” 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**21 B)**Priority Students:

22) High School Graduation:****

Please complete the following table by identifying if you served 12th grade students during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7); if you served those 12th grade students as part of a cohort or priority model; the total number of students served during the reporting period who graduated with a high school diploma or equivalent, and the number of students who were served as part of the grade-level cohort and graduated early with a high school diploma or equivalent. 

**Step One:**Did your grant project serve high school seniors (12th grade) during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Two:**Did your grant project serve 12th grade cohort students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “22A. Cohort Students” 

• No: Please proceed to Step Three of this question 

**22 A)**Cohort Students:

**Step Three:**Did your grant project serve 12th grade priority students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “22 B. Priority Students” 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**22 B)**Priority Students:

# SECTION VI: GEAR UP POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION OUTCOMES

23) Postsecondary Enrollment**:**

Please complete the following table by identifying the unduplicated number of GEAR UP high school graduates served during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7) who enrolled in any institution of higher education (IHE) in the fall following the end of the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7). 

**Step One:**Did your grant project serve high school seniors (12th grade) during the final year of your grant (Year 6 or 7)?

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Two:**Did your grant project serve 12th grade cohort students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “23 A. Cohort Students” 

• No: Please proceed to Step Three of this question 

**23 A)**Cohort Students:

**Step Three:**Did your grant project serve 12th grade priority students? 

• Yes: Please complete table “23 B. Priority Students” 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**23 B)**Priority Students:

**24)**Postsecondary Persistence:****Please complete the following tables by identifying the unduplicated number of GEAR UP students who persisted at an IHE after the final year of your grant (Year 7). Please note that due to the submission timeline of the FPR and the availability of verified postsecondary persistence data, reporting on postsecondary persistence may not be possible to complete for all grantees. 

• Grantees with a 6-year grant do not need to complete the following table. 

• Grantees with a 7-year grant must complete the following table, assuming they received a no-cost extension of sufficient duration to obtain postsecondary persistence data. 

*(This question is optional for the 2024 FPR submission.)*

This question focuses on students who were served during their first year of postsecondary education during the final year of the grant program (Year 7). As such, the following students may be excluded from your postsecondary persistence reporting: 1) priority students served in postsecondary education prior to Year 7 of your grant, 2) remaining students participating in a program using a multi-cohort approach, and 3) students served in postsecondary education during a no-cost extension. 

**Step One**: Is your grant a 6-year or 7-year grant? 

• 6-year grant: Please proceed to the next question in the FPRs

• 7-year grant: Please proceed to Step Two of this question 

**Step Two**: Given the timing of your FPR submission (among other factors) do you have postsecondary data available to report? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Step Three and/or Section Four of this question 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**Step Three**: Did your grant project serve cohort students during the final year of your grant (Year 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to 24 A. Cohort Students 

• No: Please proceed to 24 B. Priority Students

**24 A)**Cohort Students:

**Step Four**: Did your grant project serve priority students during the final year of your grant (Year 7)? 

• Yes: Please proceed to Question 24B. Priority Students 

• No: Please proceed to the next question in the FPR 

**24 B)**Priority Students:

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# SECTION VII: GRANT BUDGET INFORMATION

Please complete the 7-year Federal Expenditures and Matching Contributions table below.

In the following table, please provide information about your Federal and matching expenditures for *previous, completed budget periods*. Fill out information for ALL completed budget periods, Years 1 – 7.

If you did not expend Federal and/or matching funds as originally budgeted, please provide an explanation for the change(s) that occurred. Discuss any relevant approval received by the U.S. Department of Education that allowed such change(s).

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