Kentucky State University

400 East Main Street

Frankfort, KY 40601

We are almost coming to an end of the fourth year going into the fifth and last year of the 2012-2017 grant cycle. This means that in the fifth year, we will be rewriting for a new five year Upward Bound grant that will continue to serve students and prepare them for college. You might ask the question of how does this apply to our students? Each year, our program must submit an Annual Performance Report. This report analyzes if we reached our objectives. For each objective we reach per year, our program gains points. For those we do not meet, we do not receive any points. The more points we accumulate, the more we increase our chances of receiving our grant from the Department of Education once the re-write period is over.

One of the objectives that we have not met for the last two years is “80% of our students receiving a grade point average of 2.5 or above by the end of the year.” Out of all of our objectives, not reaching this goal is the most disappointing. Each of the students in our program are beyond capable of achieving a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. To help our students reach this goal, we provide tutoring on both Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. We interview and select some of the best college students at Kentucky State University to help tutor and mentor our students.

Moreover, for those students that are unable to attend tutoring at Kentucky State University, they are able to receive tutoring at their high school and bring documentation of their tutoring session to the Upward Bound office. My disappointment lies in the fact that I understand the potential each student has to reach this goal as well as the importance of doing so.

Receiving a grade point average of 2.5 or higher is essential for all students that would like to attend college. In the state of Kentucky, most admission criteria's from each school requires students to have at least a grade point average of 2.5. However, this is just the grade point average requirement and does not include the ACT/SAT test. Subsequently, the admission criteria may be lower than the criteria for scholarships the universities may offer which is why it is so important for students to strive to receive a grade point average above 2.5.

As the Spring Semester comes to an end, I ask each parent to take the opportunity to sit down with your child for at least ten minutes to discuss their report card and grade point average status. Within the Upward Bound newsletter, you will find a list of in state colleges and their admission criteria. Look at your child's current and end of the year grade point average and compare them to each colleges admission criteria to determine if they are on track. Even if your child is not interested in attending the college, it will be a good measurement tool to determine where they are academically.

If you determine your child is not on the right track, there is still time for the freshman-juniors to get it right. However, they must put in the effort. Please review the information inside about how to raise your GPA, parents can review information about academics, as well as admission criteria's. Remember, we are always here to assist you!

Yours Truly,

Ms. Tee

Funded by the United States Department of Education with a grant of $250,000.00