Gear-Up

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs - GU) was a partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education that worked with New Haven Public Schools from 2000 to 2011.  The mission of the program was to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.  This was accomplished by providing services to students, parents, and teachers which included academic interventions to address gaps in mathematics, reading, writing and science; interventions to heighten awareness of options for post-secondary education; and summer programming to address transitional issues, careers, academic advising, and college awareness. Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education mandated that GU programs create partnerships with businesses, community based organizations and institutions of higher education in order to meet a dollar for dollar non-Federal contribution. GEAR UP Partners who worked with GU staff to strengthen academic programs and services were Concepts for Adaptive Learning, New Haven Public Schools, UConn School of Pharmacy, CALAHE, Gateway Community College, and The Yale Consultation Center. 

The GEAR UP program serviced 740 students annually in grades 7 through 11 within the New Haven Public School system.  The middle schools were East Rock Global Magnet School, Edgewood, Truman and Columbus Family Academy.  The high Schools were Connecticut Scholars, Hill Regional Career High School, James Hillhouse, Cooperative Arts and New Haven Academy.

The Center for Academic Programs is proud that GEAR UP was able to make significant contributions to the New Haven Public Schools. These include assisting the District’s effort in improving reading skills by purchasing a reading and writing program for grades 5-8; partnering with the UCONN School of Pharmacy, Walgreen’s, and Yale New Haven Hospital Pharmacy Department to expose Latino and African American high school students to the field of pharmacy; implemented robotics program to increase student awareness and exposure to STEM Fields; increased teachers’ effectiveness by teaching the teachers how to effectively integrate technology software applications; created a partnership with Texas Instrument to provide middle school and high school teachers with professional development in the areas of technology and Algebra I; GU middle school 8th graders were the first in the district to take Algebra I; GU students were selected to participate in the People’s Inauguration Project for President Obama; and the GEAR UP Program received the University of Connecticut’s Provost Award for Excellence in Outreach and Public Engagement. 

Although GEAR UP has been discontinued, the University of Connecticut’s Educational Talent Search program will continue to provide some services and programs for GU program participants in the New Haven Schools.