Tools
Last item for navigation
Cohort Strategy
Cohort Strategy is the model that will be utilized in Clayton County Public Schools. The “Cohort Strategy” in those districts with high levels of students who are on free or reduced lunch, homeless and in foster care. This model will follow 7th and 8th grade students through middle and high school on through their first year of college (Cohort Students).

GEAR UP Georgia will partner with local and statewide partners to deliver the following services to Clayton County School System:

Professional Development for School Staff

  • STEM professional development for 7th & 8th grade teachers

  • College and Career Advisement PD for counselors

  • Scholarship Train the Trainer Workshops for counselors and school staff to learn how to streamline scholarship preparatory support for students.

 

Academic and Social Support for Students

  • Tutoring and mentoring opportunities for students in need through Near Peer Mentors and other hired tutors.

  • Early learning warning system to help identify students who are in jeopardy of not completing coursework, not on track for graduation plans, at risk of not progressing or graduating high-school and may require remediation. 

  • “Accelerated Opportunity” Workshops for Cohort Students to encourage enrollment in Pre-Algebra 1 and 2 by the end of 8th Grade, in Algebra 1 and 2 by the end of 9th Grade and in 2 years of math courses beyond Algebra 1 by the end of 12th grade through year 1 of college. In addition, students will receive information on AP, IB and Dual Enrollment opportunities and support resources.

  • Support services and educational materials (textbooks, etc.) to high-need Dual Enrollment students

  • Early testing opportunities by administering ACCUPLACER diagnostic assessments for students (Cohort and Priority) during their 10th grade in high school to identify academic deficiencies.

 

College and Career Preparation

  • “Pre” Apply To College workshops for students to be guided through the use of College Access Portal.

  • Apply to College events for all seniors (Cohort and Priority) to receive hands-on assistance

  • Spring Senior Success Day to ensure students complete any remaining college preparatory activities. Support will also be provided for those students who haven’t applied or been accepted by the spring.

  • College and career information through resources on Georgia’s College Access Portal Mobile App through key college-related tasks.

  • Workshops in the schools, resources and support for students (Cohort and Priority) and parents to help GUGa students prepare for college applications, including essay support.

  • Monthly communication reminders will be provided for parents of keycollege related tasks to include text messages, calling posts, electronic newsletters, social media and flyers to engage and educate parents about the college-going process.

  • FAFSA Completion, Financial Aid and Scholarship workshops for GUGa middle school and high school Cohort and Priority Students, parents, teachers, school administrators, counselors, and community representatives.

  • TSA Virtual Scholarship Center to include debt-tracking functions challenging parents (Cohort and Priority) to create 4-year College funding strategies.

  • College Signing, Celebration Day and reception for graduating seniors at each of its Cohort Schools and Priority Counties.

  • Life Coaching for Priority Students in the Foster Care system and who’ve experienced Homelessness to prepare students, through the proven methodology of facilitating human positive transformational change, to create their own self-directed life and education plans.

  • Summer Bridge workshops for the summer preceding college freshmen year.

  • Touch-In sessions the first year of college to ensure connection to campus resources. 

Clayton County Schools agrees to provide the following services:
  • Participate on GUGa Local Coordinating Council to assist with local GEAR UP Georgia program development and implementation. The Council will meet on a monthly basis. One annual meeting will also be offered for all GEAR UP Georgia partners.

  • Provide access to GUGa student-level data to document performance toward project objectives and measures to help the management team with project design and planning.

  • Provide access to school facilities, transportation, staff, students and parents as applicable to promote and implement grant programs, provide professional development and workshops, collect program information, conduct interviews and implement annual site visits to participating schools.