Over 30 area superintendents, principals, counselors, teachers, and GEAR UP team members recently attended an ICAP (Individual Career Academic Plan) workshop at the McAlester campus of Eastern Oklahoma State College. The workshop was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP.

Regina Carr, Atoka High School’s ICAP Coordinator/BMITE teacher outlined the plan Atoka is implementing and provided “lessons learned.” Atoka was selected as one of the ICAP Pilot Study Districts. The State Department of Education has not provided explicit instructions/strategies of implementation although each school district must fully incorporate and put into operation the ICAP for all students entering the ninth grade for the 2019–2020 school year.

“This workshop provided valuable information for our local educators,” said GEAR UP Project Director Linda Morgan. “Ms. Carr has worked through the process at Atoka and is so kind to share her experiences with the group.”

Carr challenged the participants to embrace the ICAP and develop a plan of implementation.

Following Carr’s presentation, GEAR UP Education Coordinator Rachael Ranallo discussed how the GEAR UP team can assist schools in implementation of ICAP.

The training was provided by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s 2017 GEAR UP grant. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal initiative to increase the number of low income students who enter and successfully transition into postsecondary education. Eastern is in its second year of the $17 million grant and are serving students, teachers, parents, and administrators in 39 partner schools in southeastern Oklahoma.