A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Initiative 7:
GEAR UP

GEAR UP is a national effort to encourage more young people to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard and go to college. The program supports early college awareness and preparation activities and provides support for low-income students. Funds are divided between Partnership Grants and State Grants. Partnership projects must serve entire grades of students and begin no later than seventh grade. The projects are encouraged to provide both early college preparation and awareness activities and scholarships for participating students.

Partnership grant recipients must pay at least 20 percent of the total project costs each year, and must provide at least 50 percent of the total project cost over the course of the grant in cash or in-kind. State Grant recipients must provide at least 50 percent of the total project cost each year, in cash or in-kind. Partnership Grants will be awarded to locally-formed partnerships among colleges, low-income middle schools and the secondary schools these students would normally attend, plus at least two other partners (e.g., community organizations, businesses, religious groups, state education agencies, parent groups or non-profits). All states are eligible to apply for state grants. Both states and partnerships are required to coordinate their efforts with eligible entities and related programs.

Publications:
Yes, You Can: A Guide for Establishing Mentoring Programs to Prepare Youth for College. To
order, call toll-free 1-877-4-ED PUBS, or download the guide from the Internet at
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/YesYouCan/.
Student Publication: Think College? Me? Now? To order, call toll-free 1-877-4-ED PUBS. Parent Publication: Getting Ready for College Early. To order this publication (in English or Spanish), call toll-free 1-877-4-ED PUBS.
Think College Early LISTSERV. To subscribe, send the following message to listproc@inet.ed.gov from your own computer: Subscribe thinkcoll your first name your last name.
Fact sheets and questions and answers for this initiative are available on the U.S. Department of Education Web site at http://www.ed.gov/inits/FY00/index.html.

Acting Program Director: Ray Ramirez, Gear Up program, 202-502-7795, Fax: 202-502-7675,
E-mail: Ray.Ramirez@ed.gov

Web site: http://www.ed.gov/gearup
E-mail: Gearup@ed.gov

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[ Initiative 6: 21st Century Community Learning Centers ]

[ Initiative 8: Bilingual Education Professional Development ]