Study of Financial Aid Supports for GEAR UP Students

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Overview

Reviewer Notes
0 Introduction
1 GEAR UP Students
2 Federally Funded Scholarship
3 Other Scholarships
4 Grant Expenditures
5 Matching Contributions

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Sheet 1: Reviewer Notes

Notes for reviewers: This form will be used to gather numeric information on GEAR UP students and expenditures that is not otherwise available and would be burdensome to collect through a telephone interview. Tables in the workbook will be customized based on the information provided during each state interview. Completing the form is expected to take no more than 45 minutes, including time that the Project Director spends reviewing records and consulting with other staff. Red font indicates instructions to Abt programmers; this text will be customized to each grantee and will not appear in red once customized. Purple font indicates rollover boxes that will provide more information to respondents if they hover their mouse over the text.

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Sheet 2: 0 Introduction

Introduction

This worksheet is a follow-up to the recent telephone interview that you completed for the U.S. Department of Education’s study about how GEAR UP state grantees provide college financial aid supports. Thank you again for taking the time to participate in the interview!

To better understand financial aid for GEAR UP students in each state and how financial aid expenditures fit into each state's overall GEAR UP spending, this worksheet collects follow-up numeric information on GEAR UP students and expenditures. This information will help the Department understand different approaches to the GEAR UP scholarship component.

The worksheet contains questions about your state’s FY [earliest in study period] GEAR UP grant and may require you to look up data from existing grant records or documents. Please consult with others as needed to complete the questions to the best of your availability. If there are some questions that you cannot answer or if you need any clarification or assistance, we would be happy to schedule a follow-up call. 

If respondent reported in interview that GEAR UP-funded scholarships or the alternative scholarships included in this worksheet are available to students who are not "active GEAR UP students": When completing this worksheet, please report on scholarship policies and practices for "active GEAR UP students", not for other students who may be eligible for these scholarships. Remember that, when we talked during our recent interview, you reported that "active GEAR UP students" are [definition of active GEAR UP students from the state PD interview].

Responses to this data collection will be used only for descriptive research purposes. For this study, data on state policies and supports may be reported by state. Thus, while personally identifiable information (PII) about individual respondents will not be released, data displayed by state could be attributed to the state agency or possibly an individual respondent. Grantees’ participation in the study is expected under the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 C.F.R. § 76.591).

If you have any questions about the study, please contact Dr. Hannah Miller, Abt Associates Project Director, at (617) 520-3892 or [email protected].

Paperwork Burden Statement: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is expected is expected under the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 C.F.R. § 76.591). If you have any comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission, please contact (National Center for Education Evaluation/Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th St, SW Room 4130, Washington, DC 20202).

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Sheet 3: 1 GEAR UP Students

Section 1: GEAR UP Students Served by Your FY [earliest in the study period] Grant
Table 1.1. Number of GEAR UP Students
From 201X-XXa to 201X-XXb…						Number of students		I don’t know
How many GEAR UP students graduated from high school?c
How many GEAR UP students enrolled in college?c
a First grant year
b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended
c Definition of GEAR UP students from the state Project Director (PD) interview will be added as a rollover box to these rows

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Sheet 4: 2 Federally Funded Scholarship

Tab only for states that set aside at least some federal funds for scholarships
Section 2: Scholarships Funded through Federal FY [earliest in the study period] Grant Funds
NOTE: On this tab please focus on scholarships that are funded in part or whole through federal GEAR UP funds.
Table 2.1. Number of Students Receiving GEAR UP-funded Scholarships
From 201X-XXa to 201X-XXb…							Number of students		I don't know
How many GEAR UP students were eligible for a GEAR UP-funded scholarship?
If application required according to State PD interview: How many GEAR UP students applied for a scholarship?
How many GEAR UP students received a scholarship?
If students who are not GEAR UP students can receive this scholarship according to State PD interview: How many students who were not GEAR UP students received a GEAR UP-funded scholarship?
If students can receive scholarships in multiple years and the first year that scholarships were disbursed was prior to 2019-20 according to State PD interview: How many GEAR UP students received a scholarship in 2 or more academic years?
If students can receive scholarships in multiple years and the first year that scholarships were disbursed was prior to 2018-19 according to State PD interview: How many GEAR UP students received a scholarship in 3 or more academic years?
a First year in which state disbursed scholarships, according to State PD interview
b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended
If not all students receive the same award amount according to State PD interview:
Table 2.2. GEAR UP-funded Scholarship Award Range
From 201X-XXa to 201X-XXb…								I don’t know
What was the minimum annual scholarship award (greater than zero) for full-time students?						$ ________
What was the maximum annual scholarship award?						$ ________
a First year in which state disbursed scholarships, according to State PD interview
b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended
If not all students receive the same award amount according to State PD interview:
Table 2.3. GEAR UP-funded Scholarship Average Annual Award
What was the average annual scholarship award? Please estimate if you are not able to calculate the average.			I don’t know
201X – 1Ya	$ ________
201X – 1Y	$ ________
…	$ ________
201X – 1Yb	$ ________
a Only show years in which state disbursed scholarships, according to state PD interview
b Will be the last year the state reported disbursing scholarships that is (a) within the grant period for grants that have ended or (b) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress

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Sheet 5: 3 Other Scholarships

Tab only for states with at least one scholarship specifically for, or giving priority to, GEAR UP students, excluding the GEAR UP-funded scholarship

Section 3: Other Financial Aid for GEAR UP Students in Your State

Repeat Tables 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 for each scholarship that the State PD reported as specifically for, or giving priority to, GEAR UP students.

Table 3.1. Number of Students Receiving [Scholarship Name]

From 201X-XXa to 201X-XXb…

Number of students

I don't know

How many GEAR UP students were eligible for [scholarship name]?

If application required according to the State PD interview: How many GEAR UP students applied for this scholarship?

How many GEAR UP students received this scholarship?

If students who are not GEAR UP students can receive this scholarship according to State PD interview: How many students who were not GEAR UP students received this scholarship?

If students can receive scholarship in multiple years according to the State PD interview and state had GEAR UP students in 12th grade by 2018-19 according to APRs: How many GEAR UP students received this scholarship in 2 or more academic years?

If students can receive scholarship in multiple years according to the State PD interview and state had GEAR UP students in 12th grade by 2017-18 according to APRs: How many GEAR UP students received this scholarship in 3 or more academic years?

a First year during study period that state had GEAR UP students in 12th grade, according to APRs

b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended

If not all students receive the same award amount according to State PD interview:

Table 3.2. [Scholarship Name] Award Range

From 201X-XXa to 201X-XXb…

I don’t know

What was the minimum annual scholarship award (greater than zero) for full-time students?

What was the maximum annual scholarship award?

a First year during study period that state had GEAR UP students in 12th grade, according to APRs

b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended

If not all students receive the same award amount according to State PD interview:

Table 3.3. [Scholarship Name] Average Annual Award

What was the average annual scholarship award? Please estimate if you are not able to calculate the average.

I don’t know

201X – 1Ya

$ ________

201X – 1Y

$ ________

…

$ ________

201X – 1Yb

$ ________

a First year during study period that state had GEAR UP students in 12th grade, according to APRs

b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended

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Sheet 6: 4 Grant Expenditures

Section 4: GEAR UP Expenditures
To provide context for GEAR UP scholarship spending, please report approximately how much of your grant is/was spent on each of the following activities at the state level versus disbursed to local partners. In Table 4.1, if you do not know the amount and cannot estimate, leave the cell blank.
Table 4.1. FY [earliest in study period] GEAR UP Grant Expenditures
Academic year	Total federal expenditures reported in Annual Performance Report (APR)	Total amount of federal funds…				If total reported expenditures do not equal APR data: Your total expenditures do not equal the total reported in your APR (column B) – please explain why.
		Spent directly on student scholarships?	Spent administering scholarship programs?	Spent by your agency on statewide GEAR UP activities or state-level expenses?	Disbursed to local partners?
201X – 1Ya	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
201X – 1Y	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
…	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
201X – YYb	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
a First year of grant
b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended
Table 4.2. FY [earliest in study period] GEAR UP Federal Expenditures, by Activity Funded
Please think about federal funds spent on state-level activities across the course of your GEAR UP grant. Excluding funds disbursed to local partners and those spent providing or administering scholarships, approximately what share of your grant was spent by your agency on the following activities?
Please estimate to the best of your ability the percentage of federal funds spent on each of the following activities. Enter “0” if all funding for the activities is disbursed to local partners or if the activities are not supported through federal GEAR UP funds.
Direct services to students or families						____%
Rollover box: Services such as tutoring, college advising, and financial aid assistance, which may be offered to students or their families
Direct outreach for student or school recruitment Direct outreach for recruitment						____%
Rollover box: Activities related to recruiting students or schools to participate in the GEAR UP program
Information dissemination/communication						____%
Rollover box: Disseminating information to GEAR UP program stakeholders including students and their families
Staff development or technical assistance						____%
Rollover box: Professional supports for educators working with GEAR UP students or schools
Curricular reforms or development						____%
Rollover box: Activities related to implementing rigorous courses or new academic opportunities to promote high school completion and college access and enrollment
Data collection, reporting, or compliance						____%
Rollover box: Collecting data on program operations and outcomes, including responding to federal reporting requirements
Grant administration or project management (Salary and benefits for state-level grant staff, state-level facilities or overhead charges)						____%
Total:						____%
						Rollover box: Ensure percentages sum to 100%.

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Sheet 7: 5 Matching Contributions

Section 5: Matching Contributions
To help the Department understand whether and how scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers factor into some states' GEAR UP matching contributions, please complete the following tables. In Table 5.1, if you do not know the amount and cannot estimate, leave the cell blank.
Table 5.1. FY [earliest in study period] GEAR UP Grant Matching Contributions, by Type
Academic year	Total matching contributions reported in Annual Performance Report (APR)	Total matching contributions from…			If total reported matching contributions do not equal APR data: Your total matching contributions do not equal the total reported in your APR (column B) – please explain why.
		Scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers?	Cash?	Other in-kind contributions? Rollover box: In-kind contributions are non-monetary contributions of goods and services. Please exclude scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers.
201X – 1Ya	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
201X – 1Y	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
…	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
201X – 1Yb	$Add from APR	$ ______	$ ______	$ ______
a First year of grant
b Will be (a) 2019-20 for grants that are still in progress or (b) the last grant year for grants that have ended
If any matching contributions from scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers reported in Table 5.1:
Table 5.2. Non-Federal Scholarship or Grant Funds Dedicated to GEAR UP Students
Does your state dedicate a certain amount of non-federal scholarship or grant funds for GEAR UP students?
Yes	No	Don't know
If yes: To the best of your knowledge, how much in non-federal funds was spent directly on GEAR UP student scholarships or grants each year?
Academic yeara	Spent on scholarships or grants?	Don't know
201X – 1Y	$ ______
201X – 1Y	$ ______
…	$ ______
201X – Yy	$ ______
a Use academic years in which any matching contributions from scholarships, grants, or tuition waivers reported in Table 5.1
If any cash or in-kind matching contributions other than scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers reported in Table 5.1:
Table 5.3. Matching Contributions, by Use
A. If cash matching contributions reported: How are cash matching contributions typically used?
Direct services to students or families
Direct outreach for student or school recruitment
Information dissemination/communication
Staff development or technical assistance
Curricular reforms or development
Administering the scholarship program
Data collection, reporting or compliance
Other: __________________________
I don’t know (if checked, no other options can be selected).
B. If other in-kind matching contributions reported: How are in-kind matching contributions other than scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers typically used? To support…
Direct services to students or families
Direct outreach for student or school recruitment
Information dissemination/communication
Staff development or technical assistance
Curricular reforms or development
Administering the scholarship program
Data collection, reporting or compliance
Other: __________________________
I don’t know (if checked, no other options can be selected).
If any in-kind matching contributions other than scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers reported in Table 5.1:
Table 5.4. Approximate Value of In-kind Matching Contributions
What are the three types of in-kind contributions with the largest monetary value? Please consider the approximate monetary value of the in-kind matching contributions that your grant has received, excluding scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers.
I don’t know.
Dropdown menu with values of 1, 2, 3
	Middle or high school teachers’ time
	Middle or high school administrators’ or counselors’ time
	Superintendent's or other district central office staff's time
	College staff time
	Time from other non-school partners
	Volunteer service
	School district physical space and equipment
	Materials, supplies, or resources (please give examples): _________________________
	Other (please describe):______________________________________________