| Carroll County Schools and the University of West Georgia have partnered to host one of six new Early College sites in Georgia. Early Colleges are small schools where students can earn a high school diploma with the potential to earn an Associate's Degree or two years of college credit towards a Bachelor's Degree in five years or less. This is accomplished by offering students a challenging high school curriculum along with college courses through the partnering college or university.
Early College is an intervention strategy for students aged 14-20 who may not be well served by traditional high schools. The initiative also seeks to change the face of higher education by targeting those students traditionally underrepresented on college campuses.
The schools are designed so that low-income youth, first-generation college goers, English language learners, students of color, and other young people underrepresented in higher education can simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an Associate's degree or up to two years of credit toward a Bachelor's degree—tuition free.
The Goals of the Georgia Early College Initiative
Goal 1: To increase college readiness and college success of high school graduates traditionally underserved in Georgia.
Goal 2: To develop and test model programs for young people, ages 14 to 20, that get better results, are more coherent and less duplicative, and make possible a shorter time to complete an Associate Degree or two years of college.
Goal 3: To study the effectiveness of the Early College model for reducing the high school dropout rate and increasing the college admission and college success rate of African American males, Hispanic students and other traditionally underserved students.
Goal 4: To replicate throughout Georgia the successes of Early College.
The first Early College class of 2014 will consist of three classes of 18 seventh graders for a total of 54 students from all six middle schools in Carroll County. Students in the program began their school year a week and a half earlier with an intense week-long summer academy at UWG. This began their adjustment to the college culture with small classes, personalized learning, student support, and familiarity with the campus library, computer labs, and buildings.
Expectations are high but not without the support and encouragement from the principal, teachers, parents, college professors, and community members. |