Approve the Agreement for Technical Services for Bellwether Consulting for the Evaluation of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Grant (Information and Technology Division)

The GEAR UP grant is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. The program is designed to increase college attendance and success and raise the expectations of low-income students.

The grant requires that an external evaluator be used to complete the required Year 5 evaluation. An Agreement for Technical Services has been developed with Bellwether Consulting. The duties of the provider will be to collect qualitative and quantitative student data for all 10th and 11th grade students at Leto and Middleton High Schools. This data is to be included in the U.S. Department of Education's Annual Performance Report. The provider will follow the evaluation standards established by the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation adopted by the American Evaluation Association.

* Motivate students to become responsible learners, * Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum

The overall grant award was $3,780,000. Of this amount, $5,000 has been allotted for an external evaluation.

The provider will complete an acceptable Annual Performance Report to the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Assessment and Accountability.