Students Saving Thousands By Earning College Credits In High School
The partnership between Reynoldsburg High School and local colleges assists in reducing tuition debt and accelerating workforce readiness for students through a dual credit program.
Featured on Daytime Columbus (NBC 4), Principal Scott Bennett of eSTEM Academy and Lenee Pezzano, campus president of Harrison College's Columbus location, recently sat down to discuss the partnership: Watch here
The partnership, already in its second year, utilizes funds from the “Straight A Fund” and the Pathways to Prosperity Network. The program provides high school students the opportunity to earn dual credit. For example, “as students complete courses with their Harrison instructor, they earn both high school and college credit for the class,” said Bennett.
Students can start taking classes during their sophomore year. They can take two credits as a sophomore, four as a junior and six as a senior. Depending on the course load and program, students could potentially earn a diploma from Harrison’s Help Desk Specialist Program. They also could earn enough credits to be halfway to an associate degree by high school graduation.
“There are real savings that come with students participating in the dual credit program. Each course is worth about $400 at Harrison. So if a student completes all 12, they could save $4,800 in tuition at Harrison alone,” said Pezzano.
Currently, 140 students are enrolled in dual credit classes through Harrison, totaling 1,120 credit hours. This equates to a total savings of about $450,000 for Reynoldsburg students.
Harrison College also offers students smaller classes and course offerings in IT, logistics, and health care. Pezzano added, “Our programs prepare students to step into the local workforce in various sectors. Locally some of the largest companies include the State of Ohio, JP Morgan Chase and Nationwide.”
She also adds, “last year our Columbus, Ohio campus successfully placed 81% of its graduates in jobs within six months of graduating.”
Interest and participation in dual credit options are growing among Reynoldsburg students and their families.
“Each year, we’ve seen a steady and exponential increase in the number of students who are taking advantage of this outstanding opportunity,” said Tina Thomas-Manning, Reynoldsburg superintendent.
For the 2014-15 school year, approximately 450 students enrolled in college courses. A survey of all students taking dual enrollment classes last year showed that they saved more than $1 million in college tuition. College courses were first offered to Reynoldsburg students in the 2011-12 school year. That year, only 50 students took advantage of the dual enrollment opportunity.
This school year, nearly 600 students took college courses during the first semester at Harrison College, Columbus State Community College, Central Ohio Technical College and Columbus College of Art and Design. That’s almost 36% of Reynoldsburg’s eligible high school students and that number is expected to grow next semester.
“Our goal is provide early college access for every student in Reynoldsburg City Schools”, said Bennet.
Reynoldsburg students also have the opportunity to attend classes at the Columbus State Community College regional campus, which is attached to Livingston high school. The facility is a full regional learning center where students can earn associate degrees in information technology, health care and other high demand fields.
“Those students can graduate with some or a lot of college credit towards their associate degree at Columbus State, which can go directly toward a bachelor’s degree or lead them into a highly rewarding career,” said Dr. David Harrison, Columbus State Community College president.
Partnerships with local colleges have allowed many students to graduate with little or no debt and step right into good paying jobs following graduation.
“I certainly believe this makes our district more desirable,” said Thomas-Manning.