Sharing What Works: GPRA Insights from Across the GEAR UP Community
One featured session at the Xcalibur Conference was a GPRA Panel Discussion, where we brought together GEAR UP practitioners from across the country to discuss strategies for improving key GPRA outcomes. Panelists shared lessons learned, successful practices, and honest reflections about the challenges of moving the needle on indicators that matter most for student success.
We chose to include this session as part of the 2026 Xcalibur Conference theme, "Rooted in Results," because one of the most common questions we hear from GEAR UP programs is, "What is working for other grants?" Regardless of where a program is in its grant cycle, the five GPRA indicators remain critical measures of progress and impact. There is tremendous value in learning from peers who have tested strategies, adapted approaches, and overcome challenges within their own GEAR UP programs. No one wants to reinvent the wheel, and one of the greatest strengths of the GEAR UP community is its willingness to share ideas, learn from one another, and build on collective experience.
While GPRA indicators are often viewed through the lens of reporting and accountability, they also represent some of the most important milestones in students' educational journeys. From completing Algebra I and the FAFSA to graduating high school, enrolling in postsecondary and persisting, these outcomes reflect the long-term goals that drive GEAR UP's work. By focusing on these indicators, the panel created an opportunity for participants to move beyond compliance and explore the practical strategies, partnerships, and supports that help students succeed.
To ensure a variety of perspectives, we intentionally selected panelists representing both state and partnership grants, different regions of the country, various stages of the grant cycle, and a range of professional roles. The panel included project directors, evaluators, supervisors, and program leaders, each bringing unique experiences and expertise to the discussion. This diversity was important because improving GPRA outcomes is not the responsibility of a single individual, but rather it is the result of coordinated efforts across an entire GEAR UP team.
Our goal was not to identify a single "best practice," but rather to create a space where programs could learn from diverse perspectives, hear honest reflections from the field, and take away ideas that might be adapted to meet the unique needs of their own students and communities.
Whether you were able to attend the GPRA Panel Discussion during the Xcalibur Conference or not, we wanted to ensure that all members of the GEAR UP community could benefit from the knowledge, experiences, and lessons shared during this session.
Meet the Panelists
(Click through the images below to learn about each of the panelists)
What Made the Discussion Valuable
The most powerful aspect of the panel was not simply hearing what worked, it was hearing why it worked.
Panelists discussed:
Strategies that produced positive results
Challenges and barriers they encountered
Approaches that required adjustment
Lessons learned through implementation
The importance of relationships, partnerships, and continuous improvement
By sharing both successes and struggles, the discussion provided practical insights that attendees could adapt to their own local contexts.
What Participants Had to Say
One of the goals of the GPRA Panel was to create an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from peers who are actively implementing, evaluating, and refining GEAR UP programming. The session encouraged open discussion about both successes and challenges, allowing panelists to share practical insights that participants could apply within their own grants.
“The panel discussion was the absolute best I have ever hear. Their transparency and integrity was evident.”
Feedback like this highlights the importance of bringing practitioners together to share lessons learned, discuss what is working, and learn from one another's experiences. While every GEAR UP grant operates in a unique context, the willingness of programs to openly share their successes, challenges, and strategies strengthens the entire GEAR UP community.
Continuing the Conversation
While the conference session provided an opportunity to hear high-level strategies and lessons learned, many attendees wanted to explore specific GPRA indicators in greater depth.
To continue the conversation, we are publishing a series of GPRA Spotlight articles featuring expanded responses from each panelist:
Each article will explore:
Why the GPRA matters
Strategies that have helped improve outcomes
Lessons learned through implementation
Advice for other GEAR UP programs
Responses to audience questions from the conference (where applicable)
Here are the release dates of each GPRA Spotlight article:
FAFSA Completion → Release date 6/25/2026
Postsecondary Enrollment → Release date 7/2/2026
High School Graduation → Release date 7/16/2026
Postsecondary Persistence → Release date 7/9/2026
Algebra I Completion → Release date 7/23/26
Learning Together
One of the greatest strengths of the GEAR UP community is its willingness to share ideas, successes, and lessons learned.
While every grant operates in a unique context, many of the challenges programs face are remarkably similar. By creating opportunities to learn from one another, we can accelerate improvement, strengthen services, and ultimately create better outcomes for students and families.
The GPRA Panel was designed with that goal in mind, and we are grateful to our panelists for sharing their expertise, experiences, and commitment to student success. By learning from one another, we strengthen not only our individual programs but the broader GEAR UP community as a whole.