CRDG’s Program Research and Evaluation (PRE) Section conducted an impact analysis of GEAR UP’s early intervention program, focusing on the GEAR UP Scholars’ college preparation that began in the 2000–2005 grant cycle. GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a U.S. Department of Education program whose mission is to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. To qualify for federal funding, state programs must have partners who provide matching dollars or services. GEAR UP Hawai‘i is a consortium of partners that includes the Hawai‘i Department of Education, the University of Hawai‘i’s ten-campus system, and many business and community organizations. GEAR UP Hawai‘i provided students and their families with information and encouragement to support students’ academic preparation and increase access to financial aid. The impact analysis also included case studies of three lowincome middle schools to examine the implementation of the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, a school-reform intervention, to identify effective practices and inform the sites’ and program’s practices.
Curriculum Research & Development Group
University of Hawaii at Manoa: College of Education