For the past 15 years Michigan students in grades 9 through
12 have been able to register and take college courses while still attending
their local high school based upon their district’s policy requirements or
through the career technical program in their county. This opportunity has given hundreds of
student the opportunity to get a head start on college, or has it? Some of the courses taken by students have
not transferred to their university, while other classes did not end up fitting
into their final career plan. Concerned with
the sometimes haphazard opportunities for our students to get a head start in
college and the increasing cost of a university education, the Michigan
Department of Education has developed a way for local school districts to partner
with a college to provide post-secondary education and career training: The
Early/Middle College.
Columbia School District, in cooperation with Jackson County
Intermediate School District, Jackson Area Career Center, other Jackson County
school districts, Jackson College and Jackson Area Manufactures Association,
Enterprise Group is participating in the Jackson Area College and Career
Connection Early/Middle College, which has been nicknamed JAC3. This program is in the final months of our
pilot year and has had a focus in precision machining and welding with
participation from over a dozen manufactures from the Jackson area. To keep this three year program a tuition fee
opportunity for our students going into their junior year of high school, contributing
companies and Columbia School District will each underwrite $6,000 to assist
with the cost of college credit.
This distinctive pathway gives students who have an interest
in careers in a manufacturing field an opportunity to begin as a junior and
work towards their high school diploma, gain work experience/apprenticeship and
earn college credit adding up to an Associates’ Degree over the three years in
the program. While participating in the
JAC3 program, students may work up to 24 hours per week during school and
benefit from the opportunity to work up to 48 hours per week during holiday,
spring and summer breaks. Students at
the end of their third year may also earn a career – technical credential and a
placement with a company upon graduation.
Graduates of this program may look forward to earning $25 to $45 per
hour upon obtaining a position with a partnering manufacture.
To qualify for the JAC3 Early/Middle College program,
prospective students must be “on track” credit-wise for graduation and have a good
attendance record, along with the skills and work-ethic to experience success
in college courses and the technical focused learning activities. Conley (2014)
would add that students in an early/middle college will experience success from
having good study abilities, skills in the area of time management, orientation
toward their career goals, focused determination when working towards their
life aims, truthfulness and an awareness to how they are progressing in their
classes, the ability to seek assistance from resources, and proficiency in the
use of technology. Columbia Central High
School counselor, Wendy Diefenthaler (Wendy.Diefenthaler@myeagles.org
) and principal Daniel Hyliard (Daniel.Hyliard@myeagles.org
) are able to assist students as they apply for this tuition free college and
career focused program. If you have
questions regarding the great programs and opportunities at Columbia School
District, call me at 5175926641 or email me at Pamela.Campbell@myeagles.org .
