Dual Enrollment Opportunities Expand

FLAGSTAFF (August 6, 2018)

One of the most cost effective ways to earn college credit, is to earn that credit while still in high school.  In Flagstaff, this is accomplished through a special agreement between Coconino Community College (CCC) and a student’s high school.  Until now, only students in the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) could take advantage of this opportunity called dual enrollment, but as of the start of this new school year that has changed.

Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA) and Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) are the first charter high schools in Flagstaff to enter into their own agreement with CCC to offer dual enrollment in some specific courses they offer.  Those courses available to FALA and NPA students for fall 2018 are:

• FALA – English, Spanish and Art
• NPA – Calculus and Spanish

Under the agreement, CCC verifies that:

• the high school course is equivalent to coursework taught at the College
• the high school course is taught by a teacher who is qualified to teach at the collegiate level

When a high school junior or senior enrolls in a course that is eligible for dual enrollment, they can receive credit towards their high school graduation requirement and at the same time earn college credit awarded by CCC.  This college credit becomes the start of their official college transcript.  This transcript is a permanent record for the student to apply toward acceptance at another college at any time later in life.

The financial arrangement for the college tuition is spelled out in the agreement with the high school, with the student bearing no cost other than lab fees related to specific courses.

Students need to meet minimum placement requirements set by CCC and be enrolled as a CCC student to receive college credit.  This is usually determined by a test administered at the high school site in the spring of the prior year along with completion of the admissions paperwork.

Staff from FUSD, who have several years of experience with the dual enrollment relationship with CCC, provided support and technical assistance to staff at FALA and NPA to get the fall 2018 classes off the ground at their respective schools.

With FALA and NPA creating a template for how CCC can work with Flagstaff charter schools, the Post-Secondary CAN of LAUNCH Flagstaff will be continuing to reach out to the remaining area high schools to participate in this exciting opportunity for high school students to bridge the transition between high school and post-secondary training and education.

Educators who had a hand in making this dual enrollment expansion possible:

• Janine Birchard, FALA
• Steve Danner, NPA
• Dave Dirksen, FUSD
• A.J. Fredette, NPA (former)
• Jeff Jones, CCC/NPA
• Shelbi Labat, FALA
• Donna Lyons, FUSD
• Brent Neilson, CAVIAT
• Gonzalo Perez, CCC
• Alex Purchase, CCC (former)
• Diane Sorden, FUSD
• Larry Wallen, FALA (former)