Bev Sevigny

Assistant Site Director

Lynn Gorham

Tutor

GEAR UP: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs

The Zillah School District is a member of the Lower Valley GEAR UP partnership administered through the University of Washington.  Programs are currently serving students in grade 8.

GEAR UP is a federal early intervention effort to encourage more young people to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard, and go onto some form of post-secondary education. The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides five-year grants to States and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students.

GEAR UP is unique from other initiatives. This program employs partnerships committed to serving and accelerating the academic achievement of cohorts of students through their high school graduation. GEAR UP partnerships supplement (not supplant) existing reform efforts, offer services that promote academic preparation and the understanding of necessary costs to attend college, provide professional development, and continuously build capacity so that projects can be sustained beyond the term of the grant.

The GEAR UP partnership program will create a comprehensive long-term program that motivates, encourages, and prepares students to enroll and succeed in post-secondary education programs. The program will incorporate rigorous academic course work with tutoring assistance during and after school. It will establish community based after school programs in each community. The program will include a comprehensive look at financial aid, university’s, colleges & technical schools, along with a large parenting & mentoring component.

OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVE 1: Increase the academic performance and attendance of participating students

OBJECTIVE 2: Increase preparation for post-secondary education of participating students

OBJECTIVE 3:  Increase the graduation rate of participating districts

OBJECTIVE 4: Increase rate of participation in post-secondary education of participating students

OBJECTIVE 5:  Increase educational expectations for participating students

OBJECTIVE 6:  Increase family expectations, knowledge & support of post-secondary education options, preparation, and financing

OBJECTIVE 7: Increase staff expectations, knowledge & support of post-secondary education options, preparation, and financing

OBJECTIVE 8: Increase community knowledge & support of post-secondary education options, preparation, and financing

GOALS

The program goals for the Gear UP program, to be known as the Lower Yakima Valley GEAR UP Project, are based on the Department of Education’s own GEAR UP objectives and performance indicators:

1. Increase by 10% the number of 10th grade students passing the state standard WASL Test in math, reading,
2. and science.
3. Increase by 10% each year the number of students passing advanced math courses.
4. Increase by 20% the number of students who take the SAT and ACT tests.
5. Increase the knowledge of 100% of students about post-secondary opportunities.
6. Increase by 20% the number of students enrolling in postsecondary opportunities.
7. Increase the number of cohort students that graduate high school by 20%.
8. Decrease the dropout rate by 10% of the target cohort
9. Increase by 20% the number of students enrolling in postsecondary education.
10. Increase parent involvement by 20% each year
11. Increase by 20% the number of parents aware of college requirements for their children

ACTIVITIES (2007-08 School Year)