Upward Bound Projects

Upward Bound Annual Report 2021-2021

Note: Upward Bound is a TRIO program funded by the United States Department of Education to provide academic support services to low-income, first generation college bound high school students. The mission statement and program goals (objectives in the U.S. Department of Education framework) are specified by federal regulations and policies and cannot be altered without approval from a program officer at the U.S. Department of Education.

I. Mission Statement

The mission of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.

Department Goals (Performance objectives dictated by the U.S. Department of Education)

  1. Academic Performance Grade Point Average (GPA): 60% of participants served during the project year will have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better on a four-point scale at the end of the school year.
  2. Academic Performance Test: 40% of UB seniors served during the project year, will have achieved at the proficient level on state assessments in reading/language arts and math.
  3. Secondary School Retention and Graduation: 90% of project participants served during the project year will continue in school for the next academic year, at the next grade level, or will have graduated from secondary school with a regular secondary school diploma.
  4. Secondary School Graduation: 50% of all current and prior year UB participants, who at the time of entrance into the project had an expected high school graduation date in the school year, will complete a rigorous secondary school program of study and graduate that year with a regular secondary school diploma.
  5. Postsecondary Enrollment: 70% of all current and prior UB participants, who at the time of entrance into the project had an expected high school graduation date in the school year, will enroll in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately after high school graduation or will have received notification, by the fall term immediately following high school, from an institution of higher education, of acceptance but deferred enrollment until the next academic semester (e.g. spring semester).
  6. Postsecondary Completion: 37% of participants who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education, by the fall term immediately following high school graduation or by the next academic term (e.g. spring term) as a result of acceptance but deferred enrollment, will attain either an associate or bachelor’s degree within six years following graduation from high school.

The date of last review was January 1, 2021.

II. Departmental Accomplishments

  • Implemented the first hybrid summer program – Although our 2020 virtual program was a success, our students were hopeful for a return to in-person services for the 2021 summer program. Project staff created a detailed plan to offer a hybrid program that would allow for a traditional residential component, while still keeping with strict COVID guidelines and also meeting program regulations. Students were divided into three cohorts; cohort A consisted of 9th and 10th grade students, cohort B were 11th graders and cohort C consisted of 12th grade students. While one cohort lived on campus for a week, the other two cohorts participated virtually. In total, each student was able to live on campus for a total of two weeks and participated virtually the other four weeks.

All academic courses were taught virtually to all students, but the cohort living on campus for the week took advantage of numerous in person tutoring sessions offered by resident advisors and teachers. Those struggling academically, were offered daily individual tutoring sessions as well as support and resources on note taking, organizational skills and time management.

With the support of our many campus partners, we created a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan that included daily temperature and health checks, COVID caps in all community spaces within the dorms and other campus buildings we utilized. Additionally, we required each student to present a negative COVID test result when arriving on campus and offered disinfectant wipes, antibacterial gel and face masks for each student and staff member.

This is a snapshot of our summer program:

  • 2,369 temperature and health checks
  • 466 COVID test results received and reviewed
  • 156 students participated in the residential program at CSUC
  • 46 faculty, staff and interns (combination of virtual, on-site and live-in) provided instruction and support
  • 15 virtual college prep courses offered (medical terminology, Hmong, physics, English, anatomy, integrated math, chemistry, Spanish, statistics, etc.)
  • Met the technology and equipment needs of all participants – In August of 2020, project staff developed a detailed survey that was completed by each program participant in anticipation of starting the school year in a distance learning model. Students were asked about WIFI needs, laptop accessibility and calculator and school supply shortages. After reviewing all responses, staff were able to provide each student who needed it, a laptop to use for the school year, a TI-83 graphing calculator or information regarding free or low -cost internet resources. All students received school supplies and noise cancelling headphones to use for Upward Bound weekly online tutoring sessions and for their distance learning classes. Participants who chose to participate virtually during the summer program were allowed to keep their Upward Bound issued laptops for the duration of the summer program to participate in virtual Upward Bound summer courses.
  • Offered an interactive College and Career Fair to incoming high school seniors – Although we weren’t able to bring dozens of professionals from around the area to our annual career fair, we wanted to still provide valuable college and career information to our incoming high school seniors, so that they could make educated choices when applying to colleges. We partnered with 11 CSU, Chico colleges and departments to offer small in-person presentations. Our students picked their top three choices and were able to speak to College of Nursing professors and advisors to learn about the multitude of careers available to nurses. Other students were able to see first-hand what the Concrete Industry Management department offers by touring their lab and getting an introduction to the interesting courses offered and the many student organizations that support CIM students throughout their education at CSUC. Criminal Justice, Science Education, Liberal Studies, English, Biology, Engineering, Kinesiology, Geology and Environmental Science, Computer Science and Business were other CSUC departments who took time out of their day to speak to our students about their programs.
  • Developed an online student application and virtual recruitment plan – Upward Bound staff primarily recruit new students by offering in-person presentations to students and parents at target high schools. Due to the pandemic, staff worked diligently to create new opportunities to share information about Upward Bound services and benefits in a way that was interactive and easily accessible. Program Advisors connected with target school counselors and teachers and began to offer recruitment presentations via their own Zoom meetings or by joining various class Zoom sessions. Evening Zoom sessions were also held in English, Spanish and Hmong. Students were provided Zoom links and asked to invite their parents, so that they could receive the same information and more importantly, ask questions in their native language. These sessions were extremely productive and allowed for students and parents to join during days and times that were most convenient for them. Additionally, staff developed a secure online application, that enabled students and parents to complete the application at their pace. If not completed, students were provided a link that would lead them to their existing application when they were ready to work on it again. The online application was developed in English and then translated to Spanish. Program staff saw an immediate increase in the number of applications submitted. CSU, Chico IT staff reviewed and approved the use of the new online application to ensure it met all security standards before it was introduced to students and put on the program website.
  • Offered comprehensive online workshops – Because all our students began the fall 2020 semester in a distance learning model, Upward Bound staff developed useful online workshops that would be accessible to all students.

Senior Workshops – Understandably, seniors had many concerns and questions as they prepared for college in the middle of a pandemic. UB Program Advisors hosted weekly Zoom sessions, where seniors were encouraged to come with questions and concerns. Staff shared the latest information regarding the cancellation of college entrance exam requirements (ACT, SAT), campus housing updates due to COVID, and provided the latest information on changing college application deadlines. Additionally, staff provided financial aid workshops for students and their parents, where they walked them through each question of the financial aid (FAFSA) application. Career Workshops – After surveying our students about careers they were interested in, yet didn’t have a lot of information about, our staff provided weekly informational workshops on their top three careers. Introduction to Careers in Nursing, Engineering and Environmental Studies were well attended by students.

STEM Workshops – We partnered with two great educational companies, Tried and True Tutoring and Study Smart Tutors, to provide STEM education to students with an interest in those careers. Raspberry Pi, Arduino and Data Science and Coding were three separate groups that met weekly to work on their STEM projects. Upward Bound staff purchased and delivered equipment that allowed our students to code from home while being guided by a knowledgeable instructor.

Personal Growth Workshops – Leadership, Growth Mindset, Goal Setting, Ethical Dilemmas and Stress Management were offered throughout the spring 2021 semester for those students that wanted to look inward and work on improving themselves. Students appreciated the opportunity to connect with peers, share their feelings and learn how to move forward in a positive frame of mind.

III. Changes in Policies and Procedures

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allowed Upward Bound grantees to request an increase in the dollar amount of stipends awarded to participants. Due to our savings of not offering a residential summer program in 2020, we requested and were granted an increase, that allowed us to award $100 (instead of the $40 regularly allowed) to each student who participated in all virtual program events and activities during the academic year. Students who completed the online work experience internship during the summer program would be awarded up to $500 per month, instead of the $300 regularly allowed. Student participation definitely increased during this time, and our program was able to offer increased financial assistance to low-income students already struggling during the pandemic.

IV. Resources Summary

Resource Allocation:

Original Upward Bound Grant
June 1, 2020 – May 31, 2021
125 participants

  • 2020-2021 allocation $666,626
  • Program expenses $621,023
  • Projected carry forward $45,603

Upward Bound II Grant
September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021
76 participants

  • 2020-2021 allocation $403,999
  • Program expenses $377,029
  • Projected carry forward $26,970

Upward Bound Math & Science
September 1, 2020– August 31, 2021
56 participants

  • 2020-2021 allocation $297,601
  • Program expenses $264,483
  • Projected carry forward $33,118

Upward Bound STEM
October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021
60 participants

  • 2020-2021 allocation $297,601
  • Program expenses $274,758
  • Projected carry forward $22,843

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021
52 eligible participants from Colusa, Glenn, Sutter and Yuba counties

  • 2020-2021 allocation $58,102
  • Program expenses $58,102
  • Projected carry forward $0.00

Amy Kee Scholarship Endowment

  • 2020-2021 assets $47,025.07
  • 2020-2021 contributions $1,575.07

Total funding in 2020-2021 $1,770,954.07

Human Resources:

This year, we hired two new Program Advisors, who have hit the ground running and have been an excellent addition to our staff.

Koua Thao joined the team in November of 2020 as the Upward Bound II Program Advisor. Koua is an alumnus of our Upward Bound program and also served as a Resident Advisor for our summer program while completing his undergraduate degree at Chico State. Koua earned his BA in Physical Education and Teacher Education and then went on to earn his MA in Higher Education Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is responsible for all 76 participants in the UB II program.

Diana Thao started her role as the Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Program Advisor in June of 2021. She is a graduate of CSU, Chico, having earned her BS degree in microbiology and chemistry. Diana is an alumnus of the CSU, Chico Educational Talent Search Program and the Educational Opportunity Program and brings a wealth of science background to her position. She will oversee all 56 students in the UBMS program.

Facilities/Equipment:

  • For over a decade, our program had a dedicated Upward Bound classroom at Lindhurst High School (our largest target school). Due to increased enrollment, the school will need the classroom, so we have moved our staff member and operation to our Upward Bound office in the SSC. The designated classroom gave us a daily presence at the school and aided tremendously in recruitment of new students. Our staff will increase visits to the school, in order to maintain the level of service our LHS students and staff have come to expect from us.
  • Our program has purchased Empower, a new comprehensive database that will ease data collection and reporting. We had been utilizing FileMaker Pro for 20+ years, but the database no longer served our reporting needs in an efficient manner.

V. Program Assessment of Past Year

Program Objectives:

  1. Academic Performance Grade Point Average (GPA): 60% of participants served during the project year will have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better on a four-point scale at the end of the school year.

    Exceeded – 81% of the participants served during the project year, had a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
  2. Academic Performance Test: 40% of UB seniors served during the project year, will have achieved at the proficient level on state assessments in reading/language arts and math.

    Exceeded – 49% of the UB seniors served during the 2019-2020 project year achieved proficiency before graduating high school.
  3. Secondary School Retention and Graduation: 90% of project participants served during the project year will continue in school for the next academic year, at the next grade level, or will have graduated from secondary school with a regular secondary school diploma.

    Exceeded – 100% of participants served during the 2019-2020 academic year continued in school at the next grade level or graduated with a diploma.
  4. Secondary School Graduation: 50% of all current and prior year UB participants, who at the time of entrance into the project had an expected high school graduation date in the school year, will complete a rigorous secondary school program of study and graduate that year with a regular secondary school diploma.

    Exceeded – 75% of participants graduated high school having completed A-G coursework.
  5. Postsecondary Enrollment: 73% of all current and prior UB participants, who at the time of entrance into the project had an expected high school graduation date in the school year, will enroll in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately after high school graduation or will have received notification, by the fall term immediately following high school, from an institution of higher education, of acceptance but deferred enrollment until the next academic semester (e.g. spring semester).

    Exceeded – 88% of graduates in 2020 enrolled in college immediately following high school.
  6. Postsecondary Completion: 37% of participants who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education, by the fall term immediately following high school graduation or by the next academic term (e.g. spring term) as a result of acceptance but deferred enrollment, will attain either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree within six years following graduation from high school.

    Exceeded - 48% of participants received their degree within six years, although the data shows that some participants were still enrolled in their seventh year.

Ongoing Assessment Efforts:

Demographic Reporting

A total of 318 participants were served during the 2020-2021 academic year by the four Upward Bound programs. See breakdown by program below.
Original Upward Bound – 125 participants
Upward Bound II – 76 participants
Upward Bound Math & Science – 56 participants
Upward Bound STEM – 61 participants

Ethnicity Breakdown

The ethnicity breakdown is reflected in the following graph (next page) and reflects the low-income/first generation population of the six-county service area in Northern California. Upward Bound staff is working diligently to increase the number of Asian, African American and Native American students who apply and are served by the program. Recruitment and outreach also include community organizations that serve these populations within our communities.

2020-2021 Ethnicity Data. Latino 55%. Asian 28%. Caucasian 14%. African American 2%. Native American 1%.

VI. Analysis

Recruitment targets are hard to attain – Even before the pandemic, recruiting new students was difficult at some target schools. Traditionally, our point of contact has been school counselors, but with increased demands in their positions, it has become increasingly difficult to rely solely on their assistance. Upward Bound staff have reached out to teachers to offer in person and Zoom class presentations, but not all teachers are receptive. Although we have made all recruitment targets as a whole, we have not met internal targets we set for each school. Additionally, some of the students referred to us are in poor academic standing and aren’t always able to meet the rigor of our program. We sometimes hear from students or parents who say they didn’t know our program served their target school, so there’s definitely work that needs to be done on our end to improve our program’s visibility to students, parents, school staff and faculty.

Chronic tutoring absences – A required component of Upward Bound is for students to sign up for and attend academic tutoring once a week. Tutoring is offered for more than 20 high school courses and sessions are conducted via Zoom. Students utilize a secure online calendar to sign up for the tutor and subject of their choice and receive a reminder text of their upcoming tutoring session. Tutoring is available seven days a week, in order to make it most convenient for students. Program staff contact students who have not signed up for tutoring by the third day of the week to remind them to sign up. Even with all these reminders and convenience of session and subject availability, some students still have chronic absences. Providing students with meaningful weekly contact is a program requirement and tutoring sessions meet that objective. When students miss tutoring sessions, they’re not only missing out on valuable academic tutoring, but it also requires staff to quickly pivot and provide another service to meet that week’s required contact.

Data collection and reporting isn’t efficient – For more than twenty years, our staff has utilized File Maker Pro as the program database that houses all participant data. Over the years, annual performance reports due to our funder have become extremely detailed and comprehensive, requiring staff to report on every student served through high school and six years after high school graduation. Staff report on more than 60 data points for each student, and File Maker Pro is an antiquated system that has made data collection and reporting extremely difficult. Much of the data extracted for reports requires manual manipulation, therefore increasing the risk of data entry errors and creating more work for staff.

VII. Program Objectives for Next Academic Year

Improve Recruitment Processes

  • Review and update all recruitment literature if necessary (flyers, brochures, applications)
  • Ensure all literature is translated into Spanish and make it easily accessible for parents
  • Identify faculty, support staff and administrators that would promote our program
  • Attend school events where parents are present to provide program information directly.
  • Increase social media posts/ads targeting students and parents in our geographical area
  • Create other avenues to recruit (media, community organizations, etc.)
  • Enlist current Upward Bound students to assist with presentations at target schools
  • Establish relationships and maintain constant communication with middle school counselors, teachers, and administrators to recruit 8th grade students.

Increase Tutoring Attendance

  • Emphasize tutoring requirement in detail during recruitment presentations
  • Inform parents of tutoring requirement during new student and parent orientations
  • Track tutoring attendance closely when students first enter the program. Students can exit the program without the need to track them after high school if served less than 60 days during the academic year. New students with excessive tutoring attendance should be placed back in the recruitment pool.
  • Offer weekly services other than tutoring. Weekly virtual workshops could serve as a replacement for tutoring.
  • Remind students of incentives of attending weekly tutoring. Monthly stipends of $40 per month are awarded to students with perfect tutoring attendance. Additionally, students with good tutoring attendance will be the first selected for college visitation trips.

Establish New Database

  • Staff has chosen to purchase Empower, a new database that provides ease in data reporting.
  • Establish a timeline for transferring data and training staff
  • Create data entry procedures to ensure the integrity of the data being entered