The Student Messaging in GEAR UP
Demonstration, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences
(IES), U.S. Department of Education (ED), is being conducted to
test the effectiveness of a promising strategy to improve
college-related outcomes in the federal college access program
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs
(GEAR UP). The demonstration will use a randomized controlled trial
(RCT) design to test the effectiveness of sending customized
messaging to students, first during the summer after high school
graduation, and then in the fall and spring of their expected first
year of college. Students within high schools that volunteer for
the demonstration will be randomly assigned to either receive the
messages or not. This ICR requests clearance for the collection of
GEAR UP student rosters and administration of a baseline survey. In
addition to the baseline survey data that will be collected from
students, college-related outcome data will be extracted from
national datasets (National Student Clearinghouse Data (NSC) and
the Federal Student Aid (FSA) database). Impact and descriptive
analyses will be conducted to answer the study research questions.
The evaluation plans call for two reports. The first, published in
summer 2018, will be based on data collected through 2017that will
look at college advising received in high school and early
college-related outcomes (i.e., college enrollment and FAFSA
completion). The second report will be available in early 2020, and
will investigate college persistence.
US Code:
20
USC 1070a-27 Name of Law: Higher Education Opportunity Act of
2008
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.