California State GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a middle school model for creating a college-going culture. The program works to develop and sustain the organizational capacity of middle schools by supporting the adults who influence a student's education: administrators, counselors, teachers, and families. As a result of this expanded capacity, a higher proportion of the students will have access to and enroll in postsecondary education. California State GEAR UP was initiated on September 1, 1999 through a $25,000,000 grant from the United States Department of Education for five years. The California Education Round Table is the sponsor of this grant and the University of California was designated as its administrator. California State GEAR UP epitomizes the serious work of collaboration as services are provided through a statewide network of partnerships with all components of California's educational sectors and the expertise of organizations from the private and public sector. Currently, 13 formal partners participate with the Round Table to implement this program and contribute matching funds to it, especially through participation on Implementation Teams. Clearly, students and middle schools are beneficiaries of California State GEAR UP – to the tune of nearly $100 million. The program begins to provide services no later than the seventh grade as a solid educational strategy for increasing the number of low-income students who will be prepared for college. This work provides an opportunity to make systemic change by enhancing the organizational capacity of schools to educate all students. As of August 2002, 92 middle schools have participated in the State GEAR UP Program: 73 schools are part of GEAR UP partnership projects chosen by the United States Department of Education and 19 were selected by the State GEAR UP Program based upon their intention to create a College-Going Culture. Beginning September 2002 State GEAR UP will begin service in 59 middle schools: 19 continuing schools from Year 3 and the remaining 39 are new GEAR UP schools. By the end of Year 4 the program will have served 132 middle schools in the State. California State GEAR UP services to support the adults who influence a student’s education – teachers, administrators, counselors and families - are provided in partnership with: · Achievement Council · ACT, Inc. · California Business Roundtable · California Student Aid Commission · California Subject Matter Projects · Chela Financial · College Board · ED Fund · KVIE Channel 6 (Sacramento) · Pacific Gas & Electric Company · Parent Institute for Quality Education · WESTOP · California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators


Number of Schools Participating: 58
View Participating Schools


Program Website

Last Updated on: 7/31/2009
Last Updated by: Michael Burton

School Program Information Last Updated: 8/24/2009 11:03:13 AM

University of California


Shelley Davis
1100 11th Street, Suite 10
Sacramento CA 95814
916-551-1757
shelley.davis@ucop.edu


- Partnership-specific services
- Parental involvement
- Middle School emphasis
- Whole grade strategy


- Institutional
- Federal