URBAN COLLABORATIVE ACCELERATED PROGRAM

In 1989, a different kind of school, The Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program (UCAP), opened its doors in Rhode Island with a focused mission: to support middle school students at risk of dropping out. The founder, Rob DeBlois, established the institution to provide an alternative educational model for students who were not succeeding in traditional school environments. UCAP's core idea was to intervene early, targeting students around the sixth grade who were showing signs of falling behind. The approach combined accelerated learning, allowing students to progress at their own pace, with a supportive, small-school community. The model proved to be a playbook for success. For decades, UCAP has partnered with Rhode Island school districts to identify students in need, helping over 2,000 of them catch up to their grade level and prepare for high school. A key turning point came in 2007 with the creation of The Fund for UCAP, the school's official fundraising arm, which brought in leaders from the business and philanthropic communities to ensure its financial stability. After 30 years, founder Rob DeBlois retired in 2019, passing the torch to a new generation of leadership. The same year, the school celebrated its 30th anniversary with a record $90,000 raised at an event to benefit its 'Beyond U' programs. Though DeBlois passed away in early 2020, the school has continued to thrive, navigating challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic by adapting its learning models. Today, UCAP stands as a testament to fiscally prudent and educationally innovative methods for supporting students.