Cortland Students to Benefit from New Early College High School Program

The Cortland Enlarged City School District, in partnership with Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), has received a $1.175 million grant from the New York State Education Department. The grant will fund the establishment of an Early College High School (ECHS) in Cortland, a new initiative for Cortland County under the State’s Smart Scholars Early College High School Program. The program is designed to help students who are typically underrepresented in higher education by enabling them to earn college credits while completing high school.

The collaboration between the Cortland School District and TC3 is not new but will be expanded significantly by this grant. Previously, the partnership supported the CollegeNow concurrent enrollment program, which allowed Cortland High students to earn college credits and sometimes an associate degree with their high school diploma. Superintendent Bob Edwards emphasized the important role of educators and counselors in this ongoing partnership.

Victoria Zeppelin, Director of CollegeNow at TC3, is optimistic about enhancing the partnership through the ECHS program. The program will allow students to continue taking college courses during high school and will include on-campus experiences at TC3. These opportunities aim to help students explore career options and set educational goals, building a strong base for their future academic and career success.

The program is designed to support students in managing the demands of both high school and college courses. It aims to improve graduation rates from both institutions and reduce the cost of higher education by lowering tuition fees. Janesa Cornish, the newly appointed Coordinator of Early College High School, will lead the program starting in April 2024.

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