An extra year of high school can soon mean an Associate's Degree or two years of progress toward a Bachelor's Degree in Kalamazoo County.
The Early/Middle College Program will be available in all nine Kalamazoo County school districts beginning next school year. Kalamazoo Valley Community College Dean of Health and Sciences Jim Taylor and The Director of Education for Employment for the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Services Agency Deb Miller joined WMUK's Gordon Evans to discuss what it could mean for students.
The program requires students spend an extra year in high school, but they gradually take more classes at college. Miller says by 12th grade, students spend at least half of their day at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. In the 13th year all of the day is spent at KVCC.
Taylor says students and parents may be attracted by the opportunity to save money on college. But he says research also shows that students who participate in programs like Early/Middle College complete college at a higher rate and have a stronger academic performance.
Students can use the Early Middle College program to earn an Associate's Degree or certificate in some fields. But Taylor says they've also worked with Western Michigan University to help ensure that students can use the program as a way to help earn a four year degree.
