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Jason Smith is a GEAR UP coordinator in the West Region.
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College awareness, better preparation are goals of GEAR UP program
But the program is on the chopping block in Bush's proposed education budget
by Jason Smith
With its $306 million budget currently on President Bush's budget chopping block, the federal education program known as GEAR UP has been garnering significant national news and attention.
GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) was designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. But the U.S. Department of Education recently identified the program as one of 48 educational programs targeted for elimination in the budget for 2005-06 because they are wasteful or unproven.
This issue has drawn many eyes to Philadelphia, in part because GEAR UP is the brainchild of Philadelphia's U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and in part because Philadelphia is home to one of the country's largest GEAR UP grants.
Fattah's intent was to create a program that provided students from low-income or disadvantaged areas with the same tools for success that their suburban counterparts receive. Supporters have rallied to the program's defense, pointing to its programmatic successes and the number of students GEAR UP has served. With a budget battle looming, many are taking another look at the massive program.
In 1999, the School District of Philadelphia, along with three other "Lead Partners" (Temple University, the Philadelphia Education Fund, and Philadelphia Futures) became an original participant in this national program. The first GEAR UP class in Philadelphia was made up of 3,750 seventh-grade students from the middle schools feeding into Ben Franklin, William Penn, Kensington, Edison, Lamberton, Overbrook and University City high schools.
The stated goal of Philadelphia's original GEAR UP application was "a significant increase in the proportion of students in the seven targeted communities who successfully continue their education at institutions of higher education." More than five years later, the members of the first cohort of GEAR UP seventh graders are now 12th graders involved in applying to colleges (see High goals for class of 2005, GEAR UP's first graduates).
GEAR UP programming focuses on increasing students' college awareness and preparation. Through GEAR UP, students have "been to college" by participating in enhanced college visits to schools such as La Salle University, Temple University, the University of Delaware, and West Chester University. Working with students from Temple and La Salle, GEAR UP has also been able to provide in-school tutoring during the afternoon hours to help strengthen students' math, writing, and reading skills.
In the summer months, GEAR UP has worked closely with area colleges and universities on programming that addresses the needs of its students. Summer programming has included Temple University's Young Scholars Program, Drexel University's College Prep Camp, and programs at Community College of Philadelphia and the University of the Sciences.
GEAR UP has also created an opportunity for the School District to focus on its role in increasing students' postsecondary readiness. After its fourth year, the grant's goal of using the work of GEAR UP to build a college-going culture across the School District came up for careful scrutiny. In response, in 2003, the School District formed the Office of College and Career Awareness (OCCA). OCCA was to examine what GEAR UP data and programming could reasonably fit into the framework of the School District.
Two years later, students and their parents from across the District are invited to take part in OCCA programming during students' middle and high school years. Currently, programming is focused around college visits for seventh and tenth graders, financial aid workshops, and scholarship information. This programming is available via:
- A scholarship clearinghouse, located on the District's website (www.phila.k12.pa.us/ offices/scholarships);
- Student Success Centers: student-friendly career and college resource centers located in 10 neighborhood high schools;
- Robotics: technology-based programming for middle and high schools that promotes teamwork, problem-solving, math and science;
- Career Pathways: a web-based module utilized in middle school that can be personalized to the student, offering students a chance to explore careers and future interests.
In addition, the Office of College and Career Awareness hopes to improve the college-going culture in the School District by "working with the Office of Specialized Services to serve as a tech support agent for guidance counselors on the college counseling piece," says Courtney Collins-Shapiro, OCCA's assistant director.
With the future of GEAR UP (and many other federally funded college prep programs, such as Upward Bound, College Access, and Talent Search) in limbo as President Bush proposes cuts to free up funds for his high school initiative (see Bush wants to expand NCLB in high schools), local supporters point to all these efforts as reason for the program to continue.
In contrast, a federal Department of Education statement on the proposed budget cuts states that GEAR UP "employs a number of strategies that other studies have found to be effective, but no data are available to measure progress toward long-term program goals."
The fight over the federal budget will play out over several months. Nationally, GEAR UP supporters continue to champion the program - and call into question Bush's priorities in the process.
For more information on GEAR UP programs and services in Philadelphia, contact Danielle Seward, Federal GEAR UP Coordinator for the School District at 215-951-7770.