CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission learned Monday it will receive a total of $21 million over the next seven years to help middle and high school students get to college and stay there.
The competitive grant comes from the U.S. Department of Education and will be used on the HEPC’s GEAR UP programs. The “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs” have been around for the last few years and HEPC Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Adam Green said they’ve learned a few things about what students need in academic support services.
“Services like tutoring, ACT and SAT test prep, dual enrollment opportunities and in addition we’ve really learned a lot about the soft-skilled side of things. Our students really do better when they have opportunities to participate in mentoring activities as well as leadership development,” Green said.
GEAR UP currently is financed by an $18 million six-year grant that will run out soon. Green said it’s great to get additional funds. He said a new twist to the program will be that they will be able to help students through their first year of college or technical training.
“In the past we were only allowed to follow them to the point when they graduated high school. This allows us to go into that post-secondary environment and help them transition onto a campus or onto whatever site they are receiving educational training after high school,” Dr. Green said.
GEAR UP is aimed at improving the going to college rate and retention. Green said the goal is to keep West Virginia high school graduates out of remedial classes in college. He said that will increase retention.
“We need to have students that are ready to hit the ground running when they enroll,” he said.
Green said the HEPC would have come up with a plan to continue the program had it not received the federal funding but it probably wouldn’t have been as broad.
State Higher Education Chancellor Dr. Paul Hill said GEAR UP has been extremely successful.
“Our research has shown a marked positive difference in parents’ aspirations for their children, with 92 percent of GEAR UP parents believing their child will complete a degree – up from 63 percent when our current program first started. In addition, thanks to West Virginia GEAR UP, more students and parents know about their financial aid options, and thousands of students have toured a college campus. This is progress to celebrate – and build upon,” Hill said in a news release.
The new grant will allow programs to be offered to middle school and high school students in Boone, Fayette, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Summers, Webster, Wirt and Wyoming counties.
GEAR UP also provides college-planning services for high school seniors at participating high schools.