Oklahoma will continue to provide important services and information that help students and their families better prepare for and succeed in college, thanks to a multi-year federal GEAR UP grant award totaling $34.7 million.
Oklahoma GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded program administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE). The program is designed to prepare middle and high school students for college success through direct student support services, effective educator professional development and leadership opportunities, and parent and family outreach activities and events.
“College can provide young men and women with important knowledge, skills, and experiences. However, it is no secret that navigating the college-going process can be challenging for families, especially for first-generation students,” said Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04). “I am so glad to see Oklahoma receive this multi-year GEAR UP grant, which will provide college-access support to Oklahomans and hopefully grow the number of college graduates in our state.”
This is Oklahoma’s fifth consecutive GEAR UP grant. The award will provide approximately $5 million annually over the next seven years to provide education and direct student services to 13 rural school districts and over 16,000 students in seventh through 12th grade. In addition, Oklahoma GEAR UP will partner with five regional universities across the state to offer support to students through their freshman year of college.
“A quality education can change the trajectory of a student’s life,” said State Regents’ Chair Dennis Casey. “The new GEAR UP grant will help us continue to expand opportunities and improve outcomes for Oklahoma’s most vulnerable students while helping our state meet its workforce development goals.”
Through the Oklahoma GEAR UP V grant, students will receive direct support services including college campus tours; ACT preparation and testing; career exploration and college preparation courses; college application and enrollment assistance; funding for senior concurrent enrollment fees; and one-on-one guidance from GEAR UP staff and coaches at partnering universities. Oklahoma GEAR UP will offer college access and financial aid information to students and families through awareness activities and services, including Oklahoma’s Promise and FAFSA completion assistance.
“A fifth GEAR UP grant represents another tremendous investment in Oklahoma’s future – our students,” said Chancellor Sean Burrage. “By focusing on academic preparation, career exploration, and college planning, we are equipping Oklahomans with the tools they need to succeed in higher education and beyond.”
In addition, GEAR UP will provide multiple services for emergency-certified, alternatively certified, and first-year teachers in the 13 designated school districts, including individualized instructional coaching. GEAR UP will also offer professional development opportunities to help teachers and faculty address student achievement, academic interventions and common assessments, with a particular focus on math outcomes.
School districts selected to receive services through the Oklahoma GEAR UP Grant V include Ada, Altus, Clinton, Durant, Grove, Guthrie, Jay, Locust Grove, Noble, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Stilwell, and Tahlequah.
Through the new grant, GEAR UP will partner with the following Oklahoma institutions: University of Central Oklahoma, Northeastern State University, East Central University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
For more information about GEAR UP, visit https://okgearup.org.
About Oklahoma GEAR UP funding
The U.S. Department of Education awarded Oklahoma with a state GEAR UP grant totaling $20.5 million in 1999. The grant was supplemented with a one-year extension of $4.4 million in 2004. Oklahoma received additional GEAR UP grants totaling $20.6 million in 2005, $34.9 million in 2011 and $24 million in 2017. In September 2024, the State Regents were awarded a fifth consecutive GEAR UP grant in the amount of $34.7 million over the next seven years.