Genesee Early College

1. Genesee Early College • @ The University of Michigan-Flint • Genesee Intermediate School District • November 2007

2. Genesee Early College • GEC is a fully operating high school (grades 9-13), operated by the Genesee Intermediate School District, on the University of Michigan-Flint’s campus. • GEC’s goal is to prepare students for academic and professional careers in the health professions and related fields. GEC offers a course of study specifically tailored to each student’s Educational Development Plan.

3. Genesee Early College • Health care partners include Genesys Regional Medical Center, Hurley Medical Center, McLaren Regional Medical Center, Hamilton Community Health Network, and the Greater Flint Health Coalition. • Other partners: all 21 Genesee County school districts; the Genesee County Health Department; the GASC Technology Center; and, of course, Mott Middle College.

4. Genesee Early College • Most high school and college courses are taken on the campus of the University of Michigan-Flint. Two cohort courses take place on the campus of Genesys Regional Medical Center. • High school classes are “hubbed” in the “best” building on campus, the William S. White building. • Office space is presently across the street from WSW--not an ideal situation. Goal is to move to WSW shortly.

5. GEC: Design Principles • GEC’s design principles are consistent with the recommendations of the Middle College National Consortium: • Power of the Site: removing students from K-12 culture and facilitating their entry into a post-secondary culture; • Teaching and Learning: accelerated HS curriculum with emphasis frequently placed on literacies; • Authentic Student Assessment and individualized EDP’s;

6. ECP: Design Principles • Design principles, continued: • Student Support: small class size, embedded counseling, academic support; • Democratic School Governance (frequently anathema to K-12) • Professional Development: embedded, design and reform oriented

7. Benefits to Students • Eases physical and cultural transition to college. • Assumption of college attendance • Provides meaningful academic programs in an integrated, 9-13/9-14 school (14th year seen as support/research cohort). • Provide guidance for first two years of college and significantly raise graduation rates. • Two years of college paid for by state, plus Merit after 60+.

8. Benefits to Higher Ed • Better prepared students entering higher education programs. • Higher likelihood of successful matriculation and graduation (students with at least 26 dual enrollment credit have a 80+% likelihood of graduating). • Opportunities for low-income and first-generation students who frequently cannot attend college. • Increased enrollment.

9. Genesee Early College • Genesee Early College opened in August of 2007 with approximately 50 11th grade students from Genesee County and its neighboring counties. GEC anticipates adding 5-10 more students for the winter semester. • Students attended 2 week orientation program focusing on college survival and study skills, team-building, and introduction to health programs.

10. Genesee Early College • Like all early colleges, GEC is founded on dual enrollment opportunities. It’s important to note that of the approximately 60 undergraduate credits each student will take, 58 are in “traditional” college courses with “traditional” college students. • All 11th grade students take a “mixed mode” schedule of HS and dual enrollment courses. For this initial cohort, all students take:

11. Genesee Early College • High school courses: • American Social History Project (ASHP), a cross-curricular, primary document based American History/American Literature program • General Seminar course focusing on college skills, research methodologies, and foundational issues in health professions and STEM fields. • “Focus Group” course for homeroom and advising

12. Genesee Early College • About half our initial cohort of students were not prepared for college mathematics, and are taking a high school math course. • College courses: • Two one-credit foundational “cohort courses” in health professions • On average of 9 credits per student for fall semester. Common course selections include biology, math, ethics, dance, English.

13. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8:30 General Seminar - Exhibition - EDP ETC Focus Group 9:00 9:30 Health Prof. 10:00 American Social History Project (ASHP) ASHP 10:30 Medical Term 11:00 11:30 12:00 Noon Lecture 12:30 Math 111 Math 111 Bio Lab 1:00 1:30 Focus Group 2:00 2:30 Bio 111 Lecture Bio Lecture 3:00 HCR 103 HCR 103 3:30 12:00 Health Prof. 12:30 American Social History Project (ASHP) ASHP 1:00 Medical Term 1:30 2:00 Sample student schedule:

14. Genesee Early College • Growth: • Grades 10 and 12 will be added in 2008; Grades 9 and 13 in 2009, with the Grade 14 cohort of 2010 tracked for research and support purposes. • Per small school research (and potential grant requirements), the school will be capped at an absolute maximum of 400 for Grades 9-13.

15. Genesee Early College • Students in Grades 9 and 10 engage in rigorous, academic curricula emphasizing skills and knowledge specific to health science careers. • Embedded in these grades are hands-on health science experiences at and/or with our partner health care institutions. • Grades 9-10 expose to health professions; grades 11 and 12 instruct in health professions; grades 12 and 13 focus on experiential learning in health professions.

16. Genesee Early College • High school classes taught on campus by NCLB highly-qualified, certified secondary teachers, employed by the GISD. • 9th and 10th grade curriculum is based on “projects with a purpose” and “essential schools” research. • Once fully implemented, “cohorted” health profession courses will be taken in 10th grade

17. Genesee Early College • Central to the GEC experience is that students participate in hands-on health care experiences in the form of clinical rotations at the various health care facilities. These may be for earned college credit. • Overall curricular goal is that students should be ready to successfully enter SHPS, CAS or other health-oriented programs as a means to entering a health science career.

18. Genesee Early College • Other program features (but are not limited to): • “Moduled” language classes; • International travel/semester abroad focused on service-learning and immersion; • E-materials for learning; • “Hybrid” student life opportunities.

19. Funding • As GEC is its own school with its own school code, funding for GEC is based primarily off state foundation grants. However, this raises a number of major issues: • Constant need to persuade county districts to release students despite its inherent financial cost to each district; • GISD negotiated agreements with local districts to “cap” total number from each based on district size. Thus, while we are not yet at full enrollment, we have had to turn away a large number of students from “overenrolled” districts;

20. Funding • A consortium model was not viable due to the inherent costs of dual enrollment, especially in a four-year university system; • The costs of higher education are expected to dramatically outpace K-12 revenue growth, which raises many long-term concerns; • Besides the MDE planning and implementation grants, other foundation support has been sought for implementation; however, long-term concerns persist because of the costs of tuition. • Huge problem: 75% blended funding issue (only 75% per new student)

21. Curriculum and Prof Dev • Professional development for ASHP was provided by ASHP trainers at Mott Middle College. General seminar curriculum was “home brewed” and is being refined. 10th and 12th grade curriculum will be selected and developed during winter term of this year. • In addition to GISD provided professional development and ongoing curriculum work (weekly time is allocated), GISD has committed to ongoing professional development through the Middle College National Consortium.

22. Student Support and Services • In addition to using the “embedded advising and counseling” model, UM-Flint has provided a student services coordinator, SI tutoring support, workshops, academic advising and counseling, and full access to UM-Flint student life activities, as well as a part-time liaison. • Other grant support has been sought to maintain and grow these services. • Transportation is provided to field experiences, and MTA access has been given to students to travel to and from school.

23. Public relations • GISD and UM-Flint have coordinated a strong public relations campaign, including substantial regional media coverage. Events such as the governor’s visit to our official opening has provided additional public relations opportunities. • Public relations have been made more complicated by the need to not be seen as “robbing” the local districts--student recruitment has to maintain a delicate balance.

24. Lessons learned, etc. • Strong coordination between higher education institution and K-12 is absolutely essential. • Principal selection is crucial, and must be done well and early enough not to hamper development. • Starting with 11th graders is generally a good idea; however, it raises additional issues regarding appropriate placement and preparation for college classes.

25. Lessons learned, etc. • Funding is a constant issue, and the first through third years require additional support, even with MDE grant assistance. • Teacher selection is crucial--this is not “business as usual.” • Student preparedness varies widely: our students are quite capable, but it takes a while to learn to play the role of college student.

26. Lessons learned, etc. • Students identify powerfully with the higher ed institution. Making sure that they have access to high school as well as college student life activities is a balancing act.