Publications
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: 2021 Fall Student Focus Group Results Summary
This report describes findings generated from student focus groups across four GEAR UP campuses in the Fall 2021 semester. The focus group participants described their perspectives of the GEAR UP program, experiences with the GEAR UP activities, and plans for future education. Findings obtained from the 2021 fall student focus groups echoed those obtained from focus group interviews with students and teachers in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: Annual Evaluation Report 2020–2021
In 2020–2021, the program’s fourth federally funded year, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Austin served a cohort of 9th grade students in the class of 2024 (n = 2,650) across seven high schools. Nearly all GEAR UP students received support services relevant to college preparation. Evaluation findings suggest that students, teachers, and parents had a positive perspective on the role of the program services in college preparation.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: Annual Evaluation Report 2019–2020
In 2019–2020, the program’s third federally funded year, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Austin served a cohort of 8th grade students (n = 2,546) across 11 middle schools. Nearly all GEAR UP students received support services relevant to college preparation. Evaluation findings suggest that students, teachers, and parents had a positive perspective on the role of the program services in college preparation.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: Annual Evaluation Report 2018–2019
In 2018–2019, the program’s second federally funded year, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Austin served a cohort of 7th-grade students (n = 2,536) across 11 middle schools. Nearly all GEAR UP students received support services relevant to college preparation. Evaluation findings suggest that students, teachers, and parents had a positive perspective on the role of the program services in college preparation.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: 2019 Fall Student Focus Group Results Summary
This report describes findings generated from student focus groups across five GEAR UP campuses in the Fall 2019 semester. The focus group participants described their perspectives of the GEAR UP program, experiences with the GEAR UP activities, and plans for future education. Findings obtained from the 2019 fall student focus groups echoed those obtained from focus group interviews with students and teachers in the 2018-2019 school year.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: Annual Evaluation Report 2017-2018
This evaluation report presents a baseline description of outcomes for the 2017-2018 school year, the first year of GEAR UP Austin implementation in AISD. Specifically, the report describes program implementation, students' participation in GEAR UP Austin, and baseline student academic and college preparation outcomes.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: 2020 GEAR UP Student College Aspiration Results Summary
This report is focused on GEAR UP students’ characteristics, service participation and performance, disaggregated by their college aspirations (i.e., yes, maybe, and no). The report aims to help program staff have a better understanding of college aspiration gaps and address GEAR UP students’ needs. Data presented in this report found that GEAR UP students indicating yes or maybe they would go to college after high school had better academic performance, greater attendance, and fewer campus discipline incidents than did GEAR UP students indicating they would not go to college.
College Readiness Summary, 2020–2021
This report provides and overview of the district's college readiness outcomes for seniors in the 2020 and 2021 graduation cohorts.
The Creative Learning Initiative Innovates Teaching and Learning: Impact Highlights of the 2014–2015 School Year
The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI), a collective impact partnership among the Austin Independent School District (AISD), the city of Austin, and MINDPOP (an arts partnership dedicated to expanding creative learning in Austin and representing over 50 arts and cultural agencies), created arts-rich schools at a rate that exceeded the benchmark goal. The CLI had a positive impact on both teachers and students, as well as on the district. Teachers reported positive experiences with the program activities and positive changes in student engagement, behavior, and student achievement. Students…
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Austin: 2019 Spring Staff Focus Group Results Summary
The purpose of the staff focus groups was to gather information about staff perspectives on the GEAR UP program, their experiences with the GEAR UP program, and their support for student college preparation. Most of the focus group participants across five GEAR UP campuses understood the GEAR UP program. Many staff provided positive comments about the GEAR UP activities and GEAR UP facilitators. Staff reported they supported students’ college preparation and expected their students to go to college.