Beyond high school: Exploring early college credit, trade certification programs

High school students have several resources to get a jump on their education as adults even before they graduate, with the ability to save thousands of dollars and move up the timeline of earning degrees or trade certificates.

From dual enrollment to advanced placement classes and enrolling in the local middle college, educators said there are plenty of options to challenge students academically.

“When you look at the savings on the classes that transfer, as well as the savings on books and housing, the savings can be anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000,” said Matt Ruiz, the director of the Blue Water Middle College.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment in early college credit programs have fluctuated. Some programs have experienced a significant decline in enrollment since 2020, while others have waiting lists.

Similar, but different: Dual enrollment vs Middle College

St. Clair County Community College offers dual enrollment and middle college programs to students in St. Clair and Sanilac counties. In both programs, high school students take college level courses alongside their regular coursework. With Middle College, however, students study for an extra year and receive an associate degree when they graduate.

“We can tailor these programs to fit nearly every student’s needs,” Ruiz said.

Dual enrollment courses count as both high school and college credit. The credit earned early means that students will not have to spend money on those courses in college.

Ruiz said enrollment in the Blue Water Middle College has decreased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he is hoping it will go up now that classes are fully back in person.

"I'm hopeful that this recruiting season will bring a lot more students," Ruiz said.

The Blue Water Middle College Academy offers programs to students enrolled in Algonac, Capac, Memphis, Port Huron and Yale high schools. Croswell-Lexington Early College at SC4, also called CL5, is aimed for Cros-Lex students.

Hands-on work: Trade certificate programs

For students who want hands-on career training, trade certification programs is another option. With the completion of this type of program, student receive a trade certificate alongside their high school diploma. The Sanilac Intermediate School District offers students this type of program through the Sanilac Career Center.

“The thing with the trades is that you’re instantly marketable, and there’s a ton of work in those fields right now,” said Duane Lange, Sanilac ISD superintendent.

The St. Clair County Technical Education Center at RESA offers high school juniors and seniors industry credential programs in 14 career areas. Pat Yanik, director of TEC, said it differs from a trade program because of the subjects that are offered.

“With trade certificate programs, people tend to think of specific occupations,” he said. “Industry certification is a broader term.”

Industry credentials show employers that the student is ready to work in their chosen industry. However, the students still need to take a license or certification test before working. TEC prepares students for the tests and, in some cases, provides tests as well.

"In the event that there isn't an industry exam, we'll do our own credentialing," Yanik said.

By the end of the program, TEC students have a portfolio with industry technical skills, academic skills and employable skills, such as effective communication and organization skills.

Marysville High School senior Rebekah Schmaltz is a student in the TEC cosmetology program and wants to work in the cosmetology field after she graduates.

"The programs gives another skill to add to your back pocket and helps prepare you for a career," she said.

TEC also provides its students articulated credit, which is credit that is comparable to a college-level course. Articulated credit can be applied towards a degree if the student applies to college. Some schools may require that students take a knowledge-based test to earn the credit.

For the 2019-2020 school year, 1,535 students from St. Clair County were enrolled in TEC. For 2020-2021, enrollment fell to 1,495 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, enrollment seems to be on the rise. RESA does not have exact numbers yet, but TEC programs now have a waitlist of at least one year.

A taste of college: Advanced placement classes

Unlike dual enrollment and Middle College, advanced placement courses do not result in college credit automatically. AP courses and the exams are created by College Board, a national organization that provides information on higher education. The AP exam scores are used by colleges to determine credit and range from one to five.

James Cottone, an AP Calculus teacher at Maryville High School, said the classes are rigorous and give students a taste of college course work.

"AP courses allow for college level pacing in the safety of a high school classroom," he said.

In St. Clair County, 1,461 students were enrolled in AP courses for the 2019-2020 school year. This dropped to 1,285 for 2020-2021 for the county. Districts are noticing a drop as well. Holly Hagerman-Price, a counselor at Marysville Public Schools, said she has noticed the decline in AP enrollment since 2020.

"I think it's going to take a year or two to get numbers back up and where students feel confident that things will stay face-to-face," Hagerman-Price said.

At Marysville, AP exams were offered virtually in 2020. Hagerman-Price said she thinks students preferred in-person testing and shied away from AP courses because it was still unknown if classes would be fully in-person when they were enrolling.

The exams cost money to take and could cost up to $150. However, the price depends on the class and if the school has received state funds to pay for the exams. In Marysville, tests typically cost $97 and are $5 for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Exams scores between three and five are considered passing. Colleges turn the scores into credit for the college equivalent of the AP course. Emily Holth teaches AP Psychology at Marysville High School. The course she teaches is equivalent to a Psychology 101 class at a university.

"The exam is something we prepare for the whole year with the content of the course," she said. "The class itself is built in a way that prepares the kids who want to take the exam."

Throughout the year, students are prepared for the exam with homework, class discussions and demo tests.

Although the AP exam is optional to take, it is the only way students can potentially earn college credit from the course.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: How students can earn college credit in high school