What could be more fitting for our Education blog of the "Corridor of Shame" than an actual article about the Corridor of Shame? As of yesterday it has just been announced that the U.S. Department of Education awarded several middle schools in the South Carolina area $3.5 million for the GEAR UP program! The GEAR UP program stands "Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs". This money is aspired to provide partnerships and services at high-poverty middle schools mostly along the I-95 corridor. The described demographics for the participating schools in the GEAR UP programs are 70% of minority population, above the state average of a typical 36% in schools .Eighty-one percent of the students are on free or reduced lunch when the state average is 60 percent. Only half, 50 percent, of students in the target schools transition from high school to college versus 66 percent statewide. The main goal for the money use is for it to increase the number of low-income students in schooling and make them more prepared to enter and succeed in post secondary education. Will this money be beneficial? Only time will tell!
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=669127
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