EARLY COLLEGE STUDENTS: WCCCD-TSD partnership started today

Early College Students taking part in the Taylor School District-Wayne County Community College District Partnership began school today on the Downriver Campus.

"We had plenty of TSD support there today -- Tommie Saylor, principal at Kennedy, Melissa Skopczynki, principal at Truman, and Lori Rush, a Kennedy counselor," said Assistant Principal Teresa Winnie. "We are so proud of our students who are taking advantage of this program."

The program, announced by Supt. Diane Allen in the spring, gives Taylor School District students a chance to earn a year of college credit while they still attend the district's high schools. Beginning today, 11th graders started attending a schedule of eight specific courses offered by the WCCCD. These courses are paid for by the district, and the only cost to the families involved are textbooks.

Thanks to this unique arrangement, each student and his or her family is saving $368 per designated class or a total of nearly $3,000 in total over the two-year period of the program.

The students take two college courses each semester. After taking their morning classes and eating lunch at their respective high school, they are bussed to WCCCD for their two classes. 

The courses all apply to the student's high school transcript and are counted for graduation. They also apply directly toward 70 colleges and universities in Michigan, including transfer agreements with the University of Michigan (Dearborn and Flint included), MSU, CMU, EMU, WMU, Grand Valley and Oakland.

The eight courses include speech, two English courses, Psychology, American Government, Sociology, Visual Arts and Biology. Upon successful completion, each student will have earned 25 credits and can enter college with a sophomore standing.

Look for more on this partnership program in future blog posts.