ADDITIONAL program results
A Model for Developing a College-Going Culture
California GEAR UP provides professional development and support services to assist the middle schools. These services are designed to create a self-sustaining culture of college-going at each school. The formative evaluation of these services to-date has resulted in identifying the following elements of a model for supporting effective middle schools.
- Leadership Team. A Leadership Team for each school guides the development of GEAR UP at the school. Experience has shown that the Principal’s involvement is a vital ingredient in making GEAR UP central to the reform efforts at the school.
- Principal & Leadership Team Institutes and Forums. The Leadership Teams participate for a period of two years, with a two-day Institute each fall, and a one-day Forum each winter. To be effective, Teams need consistent membership which includes the principal, counselors, teachers, and parents
- SSAR. The School Self-Assessment Rubric (SSAR) is used as the basis for the assessment and planning at each middle school. The SSAR identifies six conditions of a college-going culture. Schools rate themselves each year on a scale of 1 to 5, with a 5 for a model program.
1) Development of a College-Going Culture (College-Going Culture, Learning Community);
2) Rigorous Academic Curriculum;
3) High Quality Teaching;
4) Intensive Academic & College-Going Support (Academic Support, Counseling and Guidance);
5) Multicultural College-Going Identity; 6) Family-Neighborhood-School Supports.
- Professional Development. For two years, the middle schools receive guidance and support in developing a Professional Development Action Plan (PDAP). The PDAP is built on the work of the Leadership Teams at the fall Institute, and is supported by a Regional Coordinator. California GEAR UP provides a professional development budget, and links schools to the services of Partners.
- Regional Coordinators. At the beginning of each year, during Institutes and Forums, and at all times in between, by site visits, phone and E-mail, Regional Coordinators provide on-going support to the school Leadership Teams during these two years.
- Facilitation. To support the development of a college-going culture at each school, and to respond to each school’s unique needs, California GEAR UP provides on-site facilitation services year round. Trained Facilitators work with the Leadership Teams to plan school-wide facilitated meetings and retreats for staff and parents.
- Family Engagement. The Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) provides a nine-week course for parents at each school, helping them understand steps to college, and how they can support their child and the school.
California GEAR UP has developed the Family Initiatives Program (FIP) to provide a five-week program of information for English-speaking parents.
California GEAR UP provides College: Making It Happen guides for each student and their family, and videos for each school.
- Postsecondary Partners. Local colleges and universities host College: Making It Happen events for GEAR UP schools, as well as provide academic support for students and teachers.
- District Partners. Local districts provide support for integrating CGU activities into district reform efforts, and provide resources to sustain successful activities.
Results of the CGU Program 1999 - 2005
The purpose of the evaluation is to measure the effects that California GEAR UP has on the programs and activities, and the outcomes for students and parents, at California GEAR UP schools after two years of participation. The primary challenges are to engage all staff and parents in the support of a rigorous instructional program for ALL students, providing academic counseling for ALL students, and the recruitment and training of teachers to teach advanced courses to ALL students, especially Algebra. In spite of these challenges, California GEAR UP middle schools are providing increased support and opportunities for ALL students.
- INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
- AdvancedCourse Offerings. Increased the percentage of schools offering advanced courses, and number of sections offered.
| Mathematics |
94% of schools, an increase of 15%
(primarily Algebra 1 and Geometry) |
46% more sections |
| English/Language Arts |
79% of schools, an increase of 24% |
54% more sections |
| Science |
58% of schools, an increase of 15% |
24% more sections |
| Social Science |
54% of schools, an increase of 28% |
92% more sections |
| Foreign Language |
36% of schools, an increase of 33% |
6% more sections |
| All Five Subjects |
76% of schools, an increase of 15% |
47% more sections |
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Algebra 1 and Geometry. Increased to percentage of schools offering Algebra 1 and Geometry, and increased the number of Grade 8 students taking those subjects.
| Algebra 1 |
94% of schools, an increase of 9% |
|
| |
26.4% of students, an increase of 37% |
(statewide 32.8% and 32%) |
| Geometry |
28% of schools, an increase of 47% |
|
| |
1.9% of students, an increase of 39% |
(statewide 2.2% and 55%) |
Percent of Students Receiving Academic Counseling. Increased percentage of schools offering academic counseling, and increased percentage of students participating.
Developing Individual Academic Plans .
| Grade 6 |
56% of schools, an increase of 33% |
| |
42% of students, an increase of 191% |
| Grade 7 |
72% of schools, an increase of 45% |
| |
47% of students, an increase of 232% |
| Grade 8 |
79% of schools, an increase of 42% |
| |
61% of students, an increase of 116% |
| All Grades |
65% of schools, an increase of 41% |
| |
51% of students, an increase of 164% |
Postsecondary Information Meetings.
| Grade 6 |
72% of schools, an increase of 70% |
| |
60% of students, an increase of 188% |
| Grade 7 |
51% of schools, an increase of 41% |
| |
72% of students, an increase of 143% |
| Grade 8 |
51% of schools, an increase of 24% |
| |
84% of students, an increase of 96% |
| All Grades |
53% of schools, an increase of 44% |
| |
73% of students, an increase of 130% |
College Preparatory Tests. Percentage of schools offering the PSAT (College Board) or EXPLORE (ACT, Inc.), and percentage of students taking them.
| PSAT |
7% of schools, a decrease of 15% |
| |
7% of students, a decrease of 6% |
| EXPLORE |
9% of schools, an increase of 200% |
| |
4.4% of students, an increase of 4,112% |
STUDENT OUTCOMES
Standardized Achievement. Increased the percentage of Grade 6, 7, and 8 students achieving at or above the 50 th National Percent Rank (NPR) in Reading, Mathematics, and Language, with increases greater than statewide achievement.
| Reading |
27.4%, an increase of 4.2% (statewide increase of 1.3%) |
| Mathematics |
34.5%, an increase of 8.8% (statewide increase of 3.4%) |
| Language |
33.2%, an increase of 9.6% (statewide increase of 3.3%) |
California Standards Test Proficiency. Increased the percentage of Grade 8 students achieving at or above the proficient level in English/Language Arts and Mathematics, with decreases of percentage in Algebra 1 and Geometry.
| English/Lang. Arts |
18.4%, an increase of 14.3% (statewide increase of 3.1%) |
| Mathematics |
10.0%, an increase of 23.5% (statewide increase of 20.0%) |
| Algebra |
1 19.2%, a decrease of 12.7% (statewide decrease of 10.3%) |
| Geometry |
54.5%, a decrease of 1.8% (statewide increase of 20.0%) |
Annual Performance Index (API). Increased on this California measure of school-wide academic performance and growth.
| Average API |
601.1, an increase of 10.7% |
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Increased the percentage of students achieving at or above the proficient level in English/Language Arts and Mathematics..
| English/Language Arts |
21.3%, an increase of 37.4% |
| Mathematics |
19.4%, an increase of 24.4% |
PARENT OUTCOMES
GEAR UP Parent Survey. High percentage of parents attending parent workshops are informed about college admission and financial aid, and expect their child to participate in postsecondary education.
- 78% have spoken to someone about college entrance requirements
- 64% have spoken to someone about financial aid
- 96% have spoken to their child about college
- 66% think their child will achieve a 4-year degree or higher, and
27% expect they will attend some college
- 64% think their child can definitely afford to attend a public 4-year college, and
28% think they probably can
EVALUATION OF CALIFORNIA GEAR UP
Ratings of the Effectiveness of California GEAR UP in supporting implementation of a College-Going Culture at the schools, from Principals and Site Contacts.
Scale is from 1 (Not at all effective) to 4 (A great deal), and NA (not applicable).
Evaluation Of California Gear Up Activities |
2001-2002 |
2002-2003 |
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
Parent Institute for Quality Education |
N = 64 |
3.5 |
N = 83 |
3.6 |
N = 95 |
3.6 |
N = 80 |
3.4 |
Professional Development Action Plan |
|
|
N = 89 |
3.6 |
N = 98 |
3.6 |
N = 82 |
3.5 |
Regional Coordinators |
N = 70 |
3.4 |
N = 92 |
3.6 |
N = 99 |
3.5 |
N = 85 |
3.5 |
Facilitation Services on-site at schools |
|
|
N = 28 |
3.5 |
N = 14 |
3.6 |
N = 14 |
3.5 |
Institutes and Forums |
N = 70 |
3.2 |
N = 94 |
3.5 |
N = 99 |
3.5 |
N = 84 |
3.4 |
College: Making It Happen guide & video |
|
|
N = 88 |
3.4 |
N = 97 |
3.2 |
N = 78 |
3.0 |
College Board workshops |
N = 51 |
3.0 |
N = 58 |
3.1 |
N = 75 |
3.4 |
N = 64 |
2.4 |
AVID "Write Path" Mathematics workshops |
|
|
|
|
N = 58 |
3.3 |
N = 52 |
2.0 |
ACT Discover software & training by users |
|
|
N = 18 |
2.4 |
|
|
N = 21 |
2.5 |
[View one page Evaluation Summary 1999-2005] |
