GEAR UP Kentucky
Collage of pics of students 2018_2025
#GEARUPworks @ GEAR UP Kentucky! 

Vision

Every student prepared for postsecondary success.

Mission

The mission of GEAR UP Kentucky is to increase the number of students in low-income Kentucky communities who are ready to successfully transition to and through postsecondary education. We do this by providing services and support to prepare the whole student, and equipping their families, institutions, and communities to promote and sustain student success.

GUK is Live!

In mid-January, GEAR UP Kentucky hosted its District Services Launch Training, bringing together staff to prepare for the start of services in participating districts (see pic above). The training marked the official kickoff of the new seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP Kentucky grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education, which will support more than 10,000 students in Anderson County, Augusta Independent, Bath County, Mason County, Mercer County, Newport Independent, Pendleton County and Washington County school districts as they explore postsecondary and career pathways and prepare for success after high school.

Now underway in these eight districts, GEAR UP Kentucky provides students with academic support, advising, career exploration, leadership and early postsecondary opportunities, while also engaging families and supporting educators.

Students are introduced to a wide range of postsecondary options – including universities, community and technical colleges, certificate and credential programs, and apprenticeships – and, for the first time, eligible graduates will have access to $4.8 million in direct scholarships beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, helping reduce financial barriers to continuing their education.

This grant award marks the fifth GEAR UP Kentucky grant administered by CPE. Over the past 25 years, GEAR UP Kentucky has served more than 66,000 students in 208 schools across 91 Kentucky school districts. Click here for a current staff listing. 

Partner Spotlight

GEAR UP Kentucky is excited to announce its partnership with AdvanceKY, which helps support GUK’s vision of “every student prepared for postsecondary success.” 

Research* shows that completing rigorous high school courses, such as Algebra I, Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and dual enrollment (a/k/a dual credit) programs greatly increase student enrollment in – and graduation from – postsecondary institutions and programs.

Since 2008, AdvanceKY has worked across Kentucky to help more students access and succeed in challenging middle and high school courses. Now, through GEAR UP Kentucky’s partnership in AdvanceKY’s Access to Algebra and College Readiness Programs, even more students in the eight GUK districts will get the support they need to take on rigorous coursework with confidence.

Starting in the 2026-27 school year, 25 teachers will receive training in AP and dual-credit instruction, reaching more than 1,000 students with expanded college-level opportunities during the first year alone. At the same time, 45 middle school teachers will begin a three-year professional learning journey focused on building strong algebra foundations. Students won’t just learn equations on paper – they’ll participate in Algebra IRL, connecting algebra to real-life situations and career pathways in ways that actually make it click.

Click this link for more information about AdvanceKY.

*
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. (2021). Dual Credit & Student Success: The Effect of High School Dual Credit on Educational Outcomes at KCTCS.

Institute of Education Sciences. (2015, April). The relationship between the availability of AP courses in high school and college admission and completion.

U.S. Department of Education. (2024). Student Access to and Enrollment in Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science Courses and Academic Programs in U.S. Public Schools.