GEAR UP – Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs – is a national college access program started in 1999, now in 47 states. The purpose of GEAR UP is to significantly increase the number of students who stay in school and are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) awards six-year grants to States and to Partnerships between universities and schools. Grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning in grade seven, and follow the cohort through high school.
In 2006, USDOE awarded Northern Arizona University (NAU) a grant to administer “Arizona GEAR UP 2006-2012” on behalf of the State. The project serves 1,723 students through partnerships with 18 schools in Coolidge, Flagstaff, Miami, Globe, Phoenix and Yuma. Services for students are coordinated by GEAR UP Coordinators at each school. The Arizona GEAR UP State Office in Phoenix lends leadership, development, planning and support to its grant sites in meeting GEAR UP goals. Arizona GEAR UP 2006-2012 builds on the success of Arizona GEAR UP 2000-2006.
Visit their website at http://www4.nau.edu/gearup/