What is Rewarding Achievement (REACH)?
Rewarding Achievement (REACH) is an innovative pay-for-performance program of The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) and The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF). REACH aims to improve the college preparedness and four-year college graduation rates of low-income high school students, especially those from ethnic and racial groups that are underrepresented in higher education. REACH does this by encouraging students at 31 inner city high schools to enroll and excel in the most rigorous courses offered at their schools – Advanced Placement (AP) – and by supporting dynamism and innovation at participating schools. Learn More »Reach Scholar Awards
REACH gives financial awards of $300 to $1,000 – REACH Scholar Awards – to students at participating high schools, for each AP exam score of 3, 4 or 5 that they earn, and provides students with free AP workshops and other resources to help them succeed. Get the application »Rewarding Schools and Educators
REACH also rewards schools and educators with performance-based REACH Bonus Grants. The Bonus Grants for schools are potentially worth tens of thousands of dollars, which can be invested to strengthen academic programs, course offerings, and professional development. REACH also supports students and schools through a series of other value-added programmatic investments.Strengthening Academics
When REACH launched in 2007, it garnered significant national and local media attention, as well as the enthusiastic support of NYC Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein and a host of educators, editorial boards, and prominent elected officials. In August 2008, 1,161 students at the 31 REACH schools collectively earned nearly $1 million for passing 1,476 AP exams. Schools and educators have been awarded another nearly $400,000 in performance bonuses, with two-thirds of these monies being reinvested to strengthen academics at REACH schools. In September 2008, participating schools collectively augmented enrollment in AP courses by more than 1,000 seats – a 25% increase – by offering new courses or expanding opportunity in existing courses.To inquire about participation in the REACH Development Program or to learn more about REACH, contact info@nycup.org.