The USDOE evaluates GEAR UP CT (GU CT) on 16 objectives throughout the life of the grant. To monitor and evaluate results, the Annual Data Progress was created to share with all stakeholders. This yearly report is outlined by objective showing year by year progress of services and/or activities impacting our students.

The US Department of Education awarded a 7-year, $25.8 million grant to the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) system that runs from 2019 through 2026. Throughout the grant’s duration, the grant supported three district and college partnerships that served a cohort of students who started in grade 7 when the grant began in 2019 and who are now in their first postsecondary year in AY 2025–2026. The GEAR UP grant aimed to achieve three primary goals: (1) increase students’ academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education; (2) increase students’ educational expectations and student and family knowledge of postsecondary options, preparation, and financing; and (3) increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education. Results indicate that after high school, the majority of responding students have pursued a college education, and many of them intend to complete a four-year degree or graduate school. Students also indicated that they were well prepared for college by participating in the GEAR UP grant. Overall, students have utilized in-state postsecondary opportunities, reporting a strong sense of preparedness for college, particularly from the use of financial supports such as FAFSA and GEAR UP CT scholarships. The program’s success is evidenced by high college enrollment rates, students continued educational ambitions, and their mastery of core academic skills in their first year of college. GEAR UP has definitively achieved its primary goal of elevating college and career readiness, a legacy that will provide a strong foundation for all future grant cycles.