[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2245-H2246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT OF COLORADO GEAR UP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition and support of 
Colorado GEAR UP because college access and success is more critical 
than ever for making our economy strong and competitive and to give 
every child the access to the gateway of opportunity that an education 
provides.
  Each and every day, Colorado GEAR UP helps us meet the President's 
goal to lead the world in college graduates by 2020. It prepares our 
State's low-income students for college. It's funded by the U.S. 
Department of Education and managed by the Colorado Department of 
Higher Education. Unfortunately, way too many students are left behind 
across the country, both in secondary and postsecondary education. 
Designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared 
to enter into and succeed in postsecondary education, GEAR UP provides 
6-year grants to States and partnerships to provide services at high-
poverty middle and high schools, and funds are used to provide college 
scholarships.
  Colorado GEAR UP's vision is to engage, encourage, and enable 
Colorado's low-income students, including first-generation college-
goers and new immigrants to get on a pathway to college so they can 
reach their potential and pursue their dreams. With its current grant, 
Colorado GEAR UP has served over 2,500 students in 8 middle schools and 
12 high schools across Colorado.
  Colorado GEAR UP is an effective tool for helping students to close 
Colorado's Achievement Gap by preparing students to meet rigorous 
expectations and to level the playing field for Colorado's low-income 
students. Beginning in the seventh grade, Colorado GEAR UP selects 
cohorts of students in 10 middle schools and 8 school districts 
Statewide. Pre-collegiate advisors follow their students through high 
school, where they empower students and families with the information, 
resources, academic, and cultural support that they need to finish high 
school and enroll in college.
  A vital element of the program is the connection between students and 
their advisors. Advisors have a lower student-counselor ratio, and meet 
with their students at least twice a month. If a student is struggling 
academically, culturally, or socially, the counselors meet with the 
student even more often than twice a month. Data drives the 
programmatic decisions. They enter all data about meetings in a data 
base and they provide monthly reports to the principals of the school. 
Colorado GEAR UP also measures success through an annual online student 
survey that takes place each spring.

[[Page H2246]]

  The Colorado GEAR UP model focuses on college and career exploration, 
exposure, and experience. Students participate in monthly college 
knowledge workshops. They visit college campuses. They learn about 
different kinds of degrees and different kinds of financial aid that 
might be available to them. Juniors and seniors use the GEAR UP online 
college portfolio as a navigation tool to help them with their college 
selection process, the admissions process, and financial aid. In 2008 
and 2009, more than 80 percent of Colorado GEAR UP students understood 
the financial aid options, compared to 30 percent of their peers.
  Colorado GEAR UP has partnered with community colleges and 4-year 
institutions to offer concurrent enrollment courses as early as the 
second semester of their sophomore year in high school. This allows 
students to take courses for actual college credit while they're still 
in high school. Not only are Colorado GEAR UP students taking advantage 
of college coursework, they're succeeding. This past fall, 80 percent 
in the GEAR UP junior cohort completed at least one college course, and 
77 percent received at least a C or better in a college course while 
they were in high school.
  As a result of their participation, Colorado GEAR UP students will 
enter college with a significant amount of college credit, and some may 
even earn an associate's degree. As students go onto college campuses, 
GEAR UP partners with the institutions to continue to track progress 
and make sure that the students have the support services they need to 
succeed at college.
  I want to share with you what some students say about Colorado GEAR 
UP. ``GEAR UP is an opportunity to achieve an education. It just makes 
a person realize about the real world. GEAR UP is there to make it a 
little easier,'' said a tenth-grader from Pueblo East High School. A 
tenth-grader from North Ridge High School said, ``GEAR UP means 
opportunity to me. It means a chance to go to college and succeed in my 
life.''
  Moving forward, Colorado GEAR UP plans to expand to serve even more 
students across Colorado. This program's performance clearly 
demonstrates that students can be successful in early college 
initiatives, can succeed at a 4-year university, given the proper 
guidance and support and opportunities. Early college experience can 
even save money by preventing students from dropping out of high 
school. That's why I applaud Colorado GEAR UP as a national model for 
innovation and effectiveness in expanding college access for low-income 
students and first-generation college goers, and I strongly support its 
continued expansion and success.

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