In September 2009, with funding from the US Department of Education, the School District of Philadelphia launched a seven-year Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant to help prepare low-income youth for success in college and careers. The initiative brought together a strong network of partners and schools committed to improving the educational outcomes of Philadelphia public school students in 26 middle schools and seven high schools.
From the start of the initiative, Metis partnered with the School District of Philadelphia to conduct an evaluation of the program’s implementation and outcomes. Through a mixed-methods evaluation, we continuously assessed the initiative’s progress towards its goals and objectives, and documented effective practices, challenges, and lessons learned from this important work.