Early College Schools: A New Pathway From High School through CollegeJoel Vargas, Jobs for the Future

The Council of State Governments WebinarJune 16, 2009

• Hypothesis:An appropriate “dose” of college credit in high school will ensure underrepresented students are on the path to the completion of a postsecondary degree or credential.

• Theory of Change: By changing the structure of high school, compressing the number of years to a college degree, and removing financial and other barriers to college, early college schools will increase the number of underrepresented youth attaining the AA degree and the opportunity to earn the BA.

The Early College Idea

•Send better & earlier signals about college expectations•Address overlaps and gaps in curricula & standards from grades 9-14•Get ready for college by doing some college now•Create new course sequences that ramp up to college-level workAcademic

Preparation•Motivate students to get prepared for college by making a

transparent financial commitment: free college credit as you are ready

Financial

•Give academic and social support through the early years of college•Build College-Going Academic identitySocial

Support

Requirements Strategies

Addressing Barriers to College Completion

• Center for Native Education• City University of New York • Communities Foundation of Texas/Texas High School Project • Foundation for California Community Colleges • Gateway to College National Network • Georgia Board of Regents • KnowledgeWorks Foundation • Middle College National Consortium • National Council of La Raza • North Carolina New Schools Project • SECME, Inc.• Utah Partnership for Education • Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation

Early Partners in Establishing Early College Schools

The Expansion of Early College Schools

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-090

50

100

150

200

250

317

46

82

130

159

201

Number of Early College Schools

The Expansion of Early College Schools

Freestand-ing

45%

On a Reservation3%

On a Postsec-ondary Campus

52%

Locations of Schools

Four-year Institutions

28%

Two-year Institutions

72%

Types of Postsecondary Partners

Schools with Middle Grades

15%Ungraded

9%

Schools with Grades 9-12 only63%

Schools with Grade 1313%

Grade Levels Served

The Expansion of Early College Schools

Total Enrollment41,972 (200 schools)

Eligible For Free or Reduced Lunch 55.5%

Students of color 74.2%

Graduates 2008

Graduates Who Earned College Credit 88.2%

Earned More Than A Year Of College Credit 40%

Earned a HS Diploma and Associate’s Degree 11%

Early Promise from Early College Schools

• North Carolina• Michigan• Texas• Pennsylvania• Ohio

State Investments: Examples

• Fast Track to College Act• Graduation Promise Act• GRADUATES Act

Federal Interest: Examples

Practices• Coherent sequence of college courses meeting general education or career requirements • No-Tuition; free textbooks• Support systems• High school & College partnerswork to improve scope and sequence of learning expectations and supports for grades 9-14

Policies• Do-no-harm financing• Seat Time and Dual Crediting• Tuition waiver or support• Credit transfer assured• Longitudinal Data Systems• P-16 Oversight• Space to Innovate

Policies that Support the Early College Design

Examples of Supportive State Policies

•“Accel” for early college course takersGeorgia•The Innovative Education Initiatives•Act of 2003North Carolina

•Hold Harmless Funding•HB 1 College Readiness AllotmentTexas•Early College Line ItemOhio

For more information about the Early College High School Initiative and its partner organizations, please visit www.earlycolleges.org.

How to Learn More