Cal State Long Beach and the Long Beach Unified School District are partnering on a $22.4 million federally funded project that will work with 4,000 sixth graders at 13 area middle schools to boost their college readiness over the next six years.
The grant comes through the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Education (GEAR UP) program and will be used to improve teacher training, academic counseling and parent awareness of postsecondary options, preparation and financing.
Authorized by Congress in 1998, GEAR UP is designed to increase the college-going rate of lower income students.
According to LBUSD Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser, “this is a wonderful opportunity that complements a growing number of college prep efforts in our schools.” He continues that “the GEAR UP grant will help make the dream of a college education a reality for thousands of youngsters.”
Beginning in sixth grade, students and their parents will participate in annual conferences with their counselor to discuss academic progress, set achievement goals and plan to meet postsecondary requirements. Parents will also participate in several institutes and meetings to learn more about preparing their children for college. With the help of math and English coaches, teachers will receive additional training in math and literacy. Counselors will receive additional training on high school and college requirements, financial aid and college admission information. The counselor training will be coordinated with the L.A. County Office of Education and CSULB.
The university is working to support the Long Beach Unified School District’s goals and objectives by lending faculty and students to support the instructional mission of the district. They will collaborate on the professional development of teachers, and the MESA program will be implemented at 13 new middle school sites.
Part of the project includes students participating in MESA (Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement), a statewide program that promotes academic achievement in math-related fields through tutoring, small-group activities, participation in regional events, curriculum training for teachers, field trips to science facilities and other activities that introduce students to math and science professionals.
LBUSD middle and K-8 schools participating in the grant are Butler, DeMille, Franklin, Hamilton, Hill, Jefferson, Lindbergh, Marshall, Powell, Robinson, Stephens, Lindsey and Washington. Implementation of the program started with the beginning of the 2007-08 school year. More than 75 percent of students at each of the local schools participating in the grant are eligible to receive free lunches.
This partnership comes to a city that already observes a strong commitment to seamless education from its educational segments. Long Beach Unified, Long Beach City College and Cal State Long Beach make up an effective team of institutions committed to educating students from Kindergarten all the way through a four-year university.