BACKGROUND
The goal of the GEAR UP program is to ensure that Oregon's low-income middle school and high school students are prepared for, pursue, and succeed in postsecondary education.
The Oregon University System (OUS) kicked off the GEAR UP program in 2002. From 2002 to 2008, the program worked with 39 schools divided into 16 clusters (consisting of a high school, one or more feeder middle schools, and a university) around the state.
OUS received an additional GEAR UP grant in 2008 and began a second program working with 12 new clusters in rural Oregon. Staff in these clusters design program activities to enhance student academic development, teacher and counselor professional development, community involvement, and school/college outreach and partnerships. The Oregon GEAR UP office and its partner organizations also sponsor statewide activities that complement the efforts of school personnel.