Tennessee Higher Education Commission awarded nearly $35 million for college readiness programs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has been awarded a $34.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance college readiness.

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs ( GEAR UP ) grant is set to run between September 2024 and September 2031. THEC said that the grant has been designed to increase academic performance, high school graduation rates, postsecondary education enrollment and families’ understanding of higher education options.

The program will offer services that include:

• Academic development, tutoring, and support
• Mentoring and career exploration
• Dual enrollment opportunities
• Financial literacy and aid assistance
• Family engagement and professional development for school staff
• Transition planning and retention services during the first year of college

“A quality education can change the trajectory of a student’s life,” Governor Bill Lee said in a press release from the state Higher Education Commission. “The GEAR UP grant will help us continue to create greater opportunity and outcomes for Tennessee’s most vulnerable students while helping our state meet its workforce goals.”

GEAR UP will reportedly serve roughly 9,000 students, starting with seventh graders from the Class of 2030. Those students will receive continuous support though their first year of undergraduate study.

The Class of 2031 cohort will be supported through their senior year of high school along with 1,450 “priority seniors.” The priority seniors will receive targeted services.

The latest grant is the fourth GEAR UP grant secured by THEC since 2005. Previous grants have directly supported more than 66,000 students. This grant will directly engage with high schools and feeder schools in Monroe, Grainger, Cumberland, Jackson, Bedford, and Hardeman counties.

GEAR UP TN has also supported sites in Robertson, Davidson, Overton and Henry counties.

In July, News 2 reported that Tennessee’s college-going rate increased to 56.7 percent in 2023. Despite that increase, News 2 also found that Tennessee’s FAFSA application completion rate had dropped.

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