Interesting Public High School Where Kids (all) can graduate with an Associates...

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2013, 11:46 AM

I visted this school last week. While it is in very rural Tejas, the teachers all have Masters or above and all, and I mean all the kids are expected to graduate with college credits and even an associates. They are a dirty rich town...cotton, wind and gas money.

Quote:

The mission of Roscoe Collegiate High School, through partnerships with TSTC and WTC, is to provide each student with an accelerated, rigorous, and blended education leading to an Associates Degree, or up to 60 college credit hours upon graduation.

http://www.roscoe.esc14.net/

I am sure there will be those that dismiss this and what not but I would love it if our town did that will its students (our HS does but with AP students).

id10t · 01-17-2013, 11:53 AM

Our local school board has had an agreement with the college I work iwth for over 30 years regarding dual enrolling students. Our system is set up so that students can graduate with an AA or AS about 3 weeks before they officially graduate from high school - all course work is completed here at teh college. The local school system also offers AP courses at the "regular" high school level, but they only count for college credit if you take an exit exam and pass it at a certain level. And, not all colleges take AP course credits, but every school in the Fla state university and college system take the courses taken here at SF.

Rot 911 · 01-17-2013, 12:04 PM

Lots of states have that. In Missouri it is called the A+ program.

onewhippedpuppy · 01-17-2013, 12:34 PM

I took a few AP classes for college credit way back in 1998 when I graduated, it's not a new thing. Several of my little sister in laws graduated HS with almost an AA from the local community college, and this was out in central KS. I would say that if a high school is NOT offering some sort of opportunities for college credit, they are the minority.

BTW, some of my worst teachers were uber-educated PhD types. Some of the best were adjunct professors that not only taught a class but worked actively in the field. Don't assume that education level and the ability to teach are coincident. Often times the opposite is the case.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

My prep school was right down the road from Princeton U. A Chinese kid had exhausted our highest math level by the time he was done with 9th grade. So he was allowed to continue math at Princeton. I started college with 9 AP credits, had 40 credits at the end of my freshman year and went part time my 4th yr.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-17-2013, 01:26 PM

senior year HS in Northampton, MA, many of us were taking classes at Smith College down the street, mostly science stuff.

Hugh R · 02:26 PM

Shaun, I didn't know you hailed from Northampton, MA. I went to UMASS, Amherst and was at Smith College a lot. I also worked at the, then, only bicycle shop in Northampton, just down the hill from Smith. I remember going to the Smith library once and on one bathroom door it said "Women" and someone had taped a paper sign over the Men's room sign that said "Others".

Back on track, my daughter took AP courses in HS and had about two semesters of college credit before she went to UC Santa Barbara.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-17-2013, 02:35 PM

That's Smith College Hugh! but like everything, it's only the few bitter apples that are the look-at-me loudest. Many of the girls there were very sweet to me.

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

I went to a regular public HS in North Carolina. We had several programs to get people working. For instance: If you took 2 years of electrical shop, auto shop, and masonry, you could take the state exam for your certificates and licenses and start working right out of HS. We also had a LPN class. After 2 years you could take the state exam and become a nurse. I took the electrical, auto shop, and masonry classes for 1 year each. Always wished I had done the LPN.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2013, 02:52 PM

Ya but this isn't AP...its the whole school, a public school. We have the same in our school as well.

Jim Sims · 04:27 PM

My nephew is attending one here in New Mexico; engineering emphasis and associated with a state university. Part of the public school district. Beautiful, compact, custom campus. Each student has a school provided iPad. Serious students only; basically runs year round with a few long breaks. PE and various technical type clubs but no athletics, marching band, drama club, proms. etc. All gang crap filtered out due to the academic requirements. Will graduate at 18 with a HS diploma, engineering associates degree and the first two years of college (engineering curriculum) completed. Superb teaching staff typically with masters degrees

ossiblue · 05:51 PM

The district in which I taught, Newport-Mesa, partnered several years ago (I think back in 2008) with Coastline Community College District to set up the Early College High School. Students begin as freshmen, commit to four years, and when they graduate, they will have a high school diploma and an AA degree. I was fortunate to see many of my students make the commitment and choose the Early College path. Contrary to the image the name of the school district conveys (Newport Beach), my students were largely second language and from low income families and the opportunity offered by Early College was met with real enthusiasm.

Buckterrier · 01-17-2013, 05:52 PM

Does not it just dilute education?

ossiblue · 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckterrier

Does not it just dilute education?

Not sure I understand your question but as far as the program I am familiar with goes, the students take regular high school solid courses (no electives, sports, music) and after regular school hours, they take a college level class taught by a college instructor. The students put in longer seat time than regular high school due to the additional college classes. I don't see how this dilutes education as the curriculum is the same as if they were attending the community college campus. Remember, it takes just two years to achieve an AA at the college, but it takes four years at the Early College school due the the need to include high school curricula as well.

Understand that although it is a public school, the students are thoroughly screened to meet the academic requirements. Not all applicants are accepted and enrollment is limited to only a few students from each middle school within the District.

Buckterrier · 01-17-2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ossiblue

Not sure I understand your question but as far as the program I am familiar with goes, the students take regular high school solid courses (no electives, sports, music) and after regular school hours, they take a college level class taught by a college instructor. The students put in longer seat time than regular high school due to the additional college classes. I don't see how this dilutes education as the curriculum is the same as if they were attending the community college campus. Remember, it takes just two years to achieve an AA at the college, but it takes four years at the Early College school due the the need to include high school curricula as well.

Understand that although it is a public school, the students are thoroughly screened to meet the academic requirements. Not all applicants are accepted and enrollment is limited to only a few students from each middle school within the District.

Not dissing on education what so ever. I'm just saying that in today's business world even an associates degree doesn't bode so well. On top of that if one was to say in an interview, "I got my AD in high school " it dilutes the degree. Hopefully I'm full of horsehockey.

matt f · 01-17-2013, 06:52 PM

I like the idea of pursuing as many college credits as early as possible and this may decrease the overall cost of a degree.
However, I disagree with the exclusion of athletics, drama etc.
Many excellent colleges want an applicant with varied interests outside of academics.

Jim Sims · 01-17-2013, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt f

However, I disagree with the exclusion of athletics, drama etc. Many excellent colleges want an applicant with varied interests outside of academics.

Maybe in liberal arts, business, pre-law, etc. My recent experience with good engineering schools is that your college entrance exam scores and high school grades in "non-basket weaving" courses are 97% of the entrance criteria. They don't care if you were a varsity starter, an Eagle Scout, rebuilt a car engine, etc. Perhaps because once you are in a top-notch engineering program there is little or no time for "varied interests" outside of the program. They tell the freshman to plan on being in class or studying 60 hours a week.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2013, 07:47 PM

Mark,
If a 18 year old came to me with an AS or an AA I would look at him/her with wide eyes to just a HS dip - just saying. If its accredited, its worthy.

Matt F,
With the exception of football here, all other sports are club/travelling teams. Those are the teams colleges look at. The HS sports in Texas (except Football) are considerd sub par. the club teams are where the talant is. As for Band, I would rather see my kid in Drum Corp anyday. For drama, the local play house.

matt f · 01-17-2013, 07:51 PM

The Cornell wrestlers who are pre-med, the Lehigh athletes who are engineering students and Harvard student athletes would disagree with your basket weaving statement.
They all do their 60 hrs. of academics as well as train and compete successfully in their chosen sport.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2013, 07:58 PM

Jim,
I agree with Matt on that. There are not many 'basket weaving' courses anymore compared to the days back in the 60s and 70s. As for admissions, I know for a fact that UT, A&M, Baylor, TCU, SMU and TxTech all look at scores, GPA and extra criq. Plus Eagle gets as much admission points as Val at A&M et al.