High Schools and College Credit

Posted on April 29, 2010 by townsend

• College courses for high schoolers, By Melissa B. Taboada, April 28, 2010, Austin American-Statesman: “The Austin school district is trying to boost the academic performance and graduation and college-going rates of two struggling East Austin high schools by bringing college straight to the students. On Monday, trustees unanimously approved creating Early College High Schools at Reagan and LBJ. The free program would blend high school and college curricula and allow students to earn up to 60 hours of college credit as they work toward their high school diplomas. The idea is not new. Schools often target high-achieving or college-ready juniors and seniors to take dual credit courses and earn up to 30 hours of college credit…”
• Colorado high schoolers going forth with a state-paid fifth year, By Allison Sherry, April 14, 2010, Denver Post: “Almost 300 Colorado high school seniors are eligible for a state-paid year of college this fall – a policy garnering attention from the nation’s capital as a model to push poor kids to higher education. Colorado’s ‘fifth-year’ program allows seniors to elect to have high schools withhold their diplomas for a year so they can go to college on the state’s dime. State education leaders aren’t yet sure how many students will take advantage of the program, estimated to cost about $1.7 million this year. Participating students, who must have at least 12 college credits by the spring of their senior year to be eligible, can go to any public college in Colorado, as long as the high school sets it up. Previously, high schoolers could get some college credit through advanced courses, but the fifth-year program expands the opportunity to far more students…”