Three school districts awarded grant funding for dual credit program expansion
May 1—Three Lackawanna County school districts will split $225,000 in grants to help more high school students earn college credits before graduation.
The three districts — Carbondale Area, Lakeland and Riverside — each will receive $75,000 to expand dual credit opportunities for students, the state Department of Education announced Monday.
"That is excellent news," Lakeland Superintendent Marc Wyandt said upon learning of the awards. "Expansion of dual credit has been a priority of ours for some time."
The three are among 100 districts in Pennsylvania receiving $6,709,425.45 to create and expand programs aimed at jump-starting the college careers of high school students.
For years, local students have enrolled with Lackawanna College through the college's Level Up program, a 2018 endeavor created in response to the rising cost of higher education. The program lets high school students earn credits and obtain an associate degree at discounted tuition rates.
Abbey Judge, program director for Level Up, said 50 school districts participate in dual enrollment, including every district in Lackawanna County.
Wyandt anticipates the funding will help the district ensure its coursework aligns with requirements for college credit. Riverside Superintendent Paul Brennan hopes it could help offset the cost of college credits.
Riverside, one of the initial school districts to partner with Lackawanna College's program in 2018, has had 13 seniors graduate with an associate degree, Brennan said. Four are slated to graduate from Riverside this year with an associate degree and more will earn a degree through Johnson College as well.
"I think we're going to be able to impact a lot more students," Brennan said.
The Lake-Lehman School District in Luzerne County was awarded $41,500 and the Wallenpaupack Area School District in Pike County received $75,000. In Monroe County, $61,780 was awarded to the Pocono Mountain School District. In Susquehanna County, the Susquehanna Community School District was awarded $75,000 and the Montrose Area School District $63,700.
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