September 18, 2000 EPC gets $3.7 million grant to help get Watsonville students on the path to college By Jennifer McNulty Watsonville students will get a boost on their way to college from UCSC, which has received a $3.7 million, five-year federal grant to help disadvantaged students prepare for college. The funding, the initial installment of which is $500,902, comes from the U.S. Department of Education's GEAR UP program, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The mission of GEAR UP is to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The Educational Partnership Center (EPC) at UCSC will administer the grant, which is part of $45.6 million in new GEAR UP funding announced by President Clinton on September 12. "GEAR UP is a partnership with low-income kids that says if you'll aim high and aspire to college, we'll help you get there with counseling, mentoring, tutoring and financial aid," Clinton said. "It sends a message that with hope, hard work, and high hopes--high expectations, you can go as far as your abilities will take you." Locally, the funding will support programs at Watsonville High School and its feeder middle schools. More than 80 percent of students in the participating Watsonville schools are Hispanic. In addition, 48 percent have limited English proficiency, and 33 percent are children of Mexican migrant families. Only 10 percent of the adults in the community have completed a bachelor's degree, and the academic performance of the students is well below average in almost every indicator. The Watsonville program will focus on "gatekeeping" college-preparatory mathematics courses that students must complete to continue on the path to college, said Carrol Moran, director of EPC. Math instruction will emphasize real-life problem-solving skills and will be enhanced by peer study groups and cross-age tutoring. A college-bound awareness curriculum will be introduced, emphasizing motivation and goal setting, study skills, information about college-eligibility requirements, scholarships, and summer programs. "We want to increase students' awareness of college and help motivate them to aim for it," said Moran. "Building expectations is key, and we will work to build a school culture in which students, staff, and families expect that all students can go to college." "Our goal is to ensure that Watsonville students are prepared for college and succeed once they get there," said John Casey, superintendent of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. A strong family component will increase the involvement of parents, siblings, and other relatives, he added. Diane Siri, superintendent of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, also expressed enthusiasm about the project. "As a former math teacher, I'm excited to see the focus on math education and training of math teachers," she said. "Lack of confidence and low math achievement should not be a college barrier for any student, especially for young women and underrepresented populations." With the GEAR UP announcement, U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley endorsed the need for early college planning. "Studies have shown that disadvantaged students are often not aware of the need to take academically rigorous college courses such as trigonometry and chemistry, or of the availability of financial aid," he said. "GEAR UP shows students that the key to college is preparation, and with financial aid, college can be affordable." Through GEAR UP, high-poverty middle schools partner with community and business organizations and local colleges and universities to provide all students at a particular grade level (typically beginning with sixth or seventh grade) and their families with comprehensive support services to prepare for college. Services include enhanced curricular offerings, summer academies, information about college options and the college application process, and financial aid. The program offers academic preparation and higher-level course work to each class of participating students during middle school and throughout high school. The grant application process was competitive, and only about one-third of all GEAR UP applications were funded. Grant recipients must match federal funding and partners may contribute in-kind support for their match. In addition to financial commitments, grantees must demonstrate a commitment to involve parents and to undertake lasting reform efforts to strengthen the curriculum for all students and to provide the kinds of support services that disadvantaged youth need to succeed in higher education. Low-income and minority students attend college at disproportionately low rates, said Riley, who expressed confidence that GEAR UP programs will expand college opportunities for thousands of young people. Return to Front Page