Mich. teens to get 6 more early colleges
They get diploma, degree in 5 years
February 22, 2007
A half-dozen schools slated to open in the fall could help solve a nagging problem for Michigan by allowing high school students to simultaneously receive diplomas as well as associate's degrees in areas where the state faces a shortage of qualified workers.
The schools -- known as middle colleges and early colleges -- will focus on health-care careers, where Michigan faces a critical shortage. Students would get a degree and a diploma in five years, saving a year.
"If we can get well-trained students who are happy in doing what they want to do and they can be placed in jobs that can contribute to employment, it will be a plus for the economy," said Kathleen Straus, president of the state Board of Education.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm touted the schools as "revolutionary" in her State of the State address earlier this month. In other states, such schools emphasize fields like technology and international studies.
Start-up money for the schools opening this fall came from a grant the Legislature approved last fall. Granholm has included more money for those six schools -- as well as money to help create five to six additional ones -- in her proposed budget for 2008.
The schools are expected to be a boon for health-care providers such as the Henry Ford Health System, which is partnering with Dearborn Public Schools and Henry Ford Community College to create one of the new schools.
There, shortages are deep in areas such as respiratory therapy, radiology and pharmacy technicians. And they'll only get worse. William Schramm, senior vice president for strategic business development, said the use of CAT scans is rising 10% to 15% annually, requiring more technicians. But there aren't enough of them to fill the positions.
"We would certainly be in a position to offer just about every student, if not every student, a job. We've got significant shortages," he said.
Michigan already has two similar schools -- in Washtenaw and Genesee counties -- that are models for the planned schools. But these schools are not focused on the health-care field.
Still, students say they're gaining an edge over their peers in traditional high schools.
"It gives you a better opportunity," said Joseph Dear, 18, of Canton, a student at Washtenaw Technical Middle College, or WTMC.
Schools' requirements
The new schools would require students to enroll as ninth-graders, study on college campuses and earn a degree. And while they aren't a new concept, there's been a recent surge of interest as educators struggle to find innovative ways to reform the traditional high school.
Nationwide, the number of early colleges has exploded since 2002, when the first one began. There are now 129 early colleges, and that number is likely to soar to about 300 during the next five years, said Michael Webb, associate vice president of the Early College High School Initiative, a Boston program created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Lee Schleicher, the dean at WTMC, said the programs work because they put the focus back where it belongs: on the students and their needs. Half of his students earn a community college certificate; the other half earns an associate's degree. About 80% complete the program, Schleicher said.
WTMC began in 1997 and sits on the campus of Washtenaw Community College. It recently completed a five-year study of its first graduating class, finding that 71% had gone on and earned a bachelor's degree, while 29% were still working on one.
The Dearborn district -- as well as other districts statewide -- already allows students to take college courses through dual enrollment. But that option doesn't match the magnitude of what they can achieve through early and middle college programs.
"This is probably a mode of delivering education that is going to be a model for future things," said Paul Smith, director of secondary education.
The schools are not geared toward the most academically talented students. They were born, in fact, out of a desire to help students who were at risk of dropping out of school or who needed motivation. Now, most programs cater to a mix of students.
"We have found that when students are on a college campus, they are more focused and will start to look at college as a possibility," said Juanita Clay Chambers, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Detroit Public Schools. The district is working with Detroit Medical Center and Wayne County Community College to create an early college for Kettering High School students.
DPS has some experience, with students at Finney, Osborn, Mumford and Redford high schools participating in programs in which they spend much of their school day on WCCC campuses.
At the Washtenaw campus, 320 middle college students from a range of backgrounds are enrolled. Dear was homeschooled prior to enrolling there. He said the program seemed like a good opportunity to earn college credit without having to pay tuition.
"We're getting a jump start on a degree," he said.
For Kuzida Masri, 18, it was a chance to escape negative peer pressure. She had attended Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor and was hanging with kids more concerned about their social status than about their grades.
"I wasn't doing well in school," Kuzida said. "I wanted a fresh start."
That fresh start comes with some trade-offs, including giving up extracurricular activities. Middle colleges and early colleges don't have the sports teams traditional high schools have. But being on a college campus gives students access to college-level activities, as well as leadership opportunities. A few years, two WTMC students served as president and vice president of the National Community College Honor Society chapter on the Washtenaw campus.
Some college instructors may be leery about having high school students in their classes. But no more than six WTMC students can be enrolled in a given college course at the same time. Schleicher said the lessons on good attendance, communication, follow-through and responsibility are a key part of the program.
"We're on a campus of 11,000 college students. These kids have to make sound, behavioral decisions," Schleicher said.
It may be tempting to skip class or blow off an assignment. But the students say that isn't an option. Not if they want to succeed.
"If you don't go to class or do your work, you're going to fail," said Rachel Schober, 19, of Ann Arbor, who will graduate from the program in May.
6 schools on way
Michigan awarded grants to six school districts last fall to create early colleges that are expected to open for the 2007-08 school year. Here are the districts that received the money and their partners.
• Detroit Public Schools: Detroit Medical Center, Wayne County Community College
• Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency: Dearborn Public Schools, Henry Ford Health System, Henry Ford Community College
• Washtenaw Intermediate School District: Four local districts, Eastern Michigan University; St. Joseph Mercy Health System, University of Michigan Health System
• Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District: Five local districts, Mid Michigan Community College, MidMichigan Health
• Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District: Eight local school districts, Bay College, OSF St. Francis Hospital
• Genesee Intermediate School District: 21 local school districts, University of Michigan-Flint, Baker College of Flint, Kettering University, Mott Community College, Greater Flint Health Coalition
Dearborn Schools plan to begin promoting its early college next month, while Detroit is unsure when it will announce enrollment information for its school.
To get information on the Dearborn school, contact the secondary education department at 313-827-3113; for information about the Detroit school, contact the district's main line at 313-873-3111.
What students learn
The state is opening six early colleges next fall that will give students experience taking college courses. Here are some benefits of the new schools:
• Students would earn a high school diploma and an associate's degree in five years, one year faster than they would in traditional schools.
• The schools would be located on community college campuses, giving students easy access to college-level equipment, facilities and faculty.
• Students learn what is expected of college students before they graduate from high school, leaving them better prepared to continue their studies.
Contact LORI HIGGINS at 248-351-3694 or lhiggins@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2007 Detroit Free Press Inc.
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