GETTING A HEAD START
GETTING A
HEAD START New initiative brings college courses to high school students
or many students, the traditional path to success is to finish high school, go to college, and enter the workforce. However, not all students want to pursue that traditional path – or can’t. Some face financial barriers to a college education, others have learning challenges that make traditional education difficult, and others are interested in a direct path to the workforce that doesn’t require college. As a district committed to serving all students, Durham Public Schools recognizes the need for alternate pathways for students. Through a partnership with Durham Technical Community College, the district gives high school students the opportunity to take college-level courses so that they might graduate with a high school diploma and potentially an associate degree or a professional certificate. “Students can get a head start on where they want to go–a head start on higher education, a head start on a career,” says Dr. Julie Pack, the executive director for Career and Technical Education at DPS. “Also, the research says that students who graduate with college credit persist in post-secondary education at a higher rate because they’re more prepared for what they’re likely to encounter on a college campus.” She added that the skills these students learn help make them better college students and better employees. In the past, students who wanted to participate in this program had to go to one of the district’s cooperative innovative high schools: J.D. Clement Early College, Middle College High
18 SPARK INSIDER
School, the City of Medicine Academy, or the Durham School of Technology. Depending on which school students attended, they may have had to arrange their own transportation to take classes at Durham Tech, which could be a barrier for some. This year, a pilot program was started at Riverside High School in which Durham Tech instructors teach in its classrooms. The district hopes to expand this model to other high schools. Tuition is free for these college classes through the College and Career Promise (CCP) program offered by the state. However, students must pay for their own books, which can cost hundreds of dollars. A private donation of $50,000 from Marcia Angle and Mark Trustin to the Durham Tech Foundation is being used to help cover the cost of books to help more students participate. “We have seen huge momentum in high school students trying to take advantage of this opportunity and to save tuition,” says Dr. Oluwunmi Ariyo, the director of College Recruitment and High School Partnerships at Durham Tech. Officials hope that removing barriers and creating more awareness of the program will result in even greater participation, Ariyo says. Other initiatives being considered include providing transportation to Durham Tech’s campus or offering some classes online. The goal between DPS and Durham Tech is to get more
