We are pleased to announce that GEAR UP Massachusetts is the recipient of a competitive grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Education and Research Triangle Institute (RTI), to test and evaluate new learning strategies to help at-risk students who want to attend college after graduation.
As a recipient of the grant, our program is receiving additional funding for a Mathematics intervention for 12th graders in the 2010-’11 school year. This new program, Math Plus will work with 12th graders who have an interest in college but whose scores on Mathematics assessments would place them in remedial education rather than college-level courses upon entry into a college or university.
We believe this initiative is a tremendous opportunity for students at North High School. If successful, more students will start college without the costly remediation that is often a financial barrier to success. The grant will fully fund a mathematics elective course at the high school for GEAR UP students who fit the project criteria and who may require, under new state rules, an individualized plan for success.
Math Plus is based on a successful program at Worcester State University designed to help students move quickly from remedial status in mathematics to eligibility for college credit-bearing coursework. It is designed for students whose scores on the Elementary Algebra Accuplacer would place them in a remedial course in their first year of college. Accuplacer was developed by the College Board and is an assessment given by Massachusetts public institutions to determine whether students can enroll in college-level instruction.
Many students are interested in college, yet a surprising number—even some who pass MCAS— still place into remedial courses in higher education, and studies show that a large share of students in remediation often fail to attain a degree or certificate.
We look forward to partnering with you and welcome your support for this timely initiative.
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