Dare school board holds special meeting on early college

Dare County Board of Education held a special session about its early college proposal.

The meeting was held in the First Flight High School auditorium on June 10, 2024 starting at 5 p.m.

About 50 people showed up for the meeting. Some 14 audience members offered public comment.

For an hour and 20 minutes, Dare Schools Superintendent Steve Basnight presented information about early college and how it would work and answered criticisms and debunked misinformation about the proposal.

“The goal,” Basnight said, “is to create opportunity or students.” The opportunity is to graduate high school with a degree and graduate at the same time with an associate degree or certifications from College of The Albemarle. The schoolwork at College of The Albemarle is free.

Basnight ticked off some early college student results: higher ACT scores, higher attendance rates, lower suspension rates, lower dropout rates, higher enrollment in a four-year college or university, and less likely to be convicted of a crime during late adolescence.

Since 2015, Dare County school boards and superintendents have talked about setting up an early college in the county. The initial idea was to use the old College of The Albemarle campus. However, early inspection showed one building that was beyond rehabilitation and another needing considerable work. Thus, the idea of a new building took hold.

An application for a Dare County early college was submitted. Basnight said it was so well done that the state’s Department of Public Instruction will use it as an example of how an application should be done.

The application has been approved by the Dare Board of Education, the Department of Public Instruction, the State School Board, the State Board of Community Colleges and the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. The application awaits approval by the General Assembly.

The General Assembly must approve an allocation of $200,000. The early college will be a new school and would be entitled to those state-funded positions like principal and teachers.

Once filled out, the new school will have a student population of 350 to 400 students.

Who can attend? “Anyone,” said Basnight. “It’s an application process. Complete the 8th grade and you can apply.”

“The school is not about high fliers,” said Basnight. An application is required with references. An interview will be conducted. Grades and academic performance are not factors, said Basnight.

The state Department of Public Instruction has recently changed the targeted student population for early colleges to first generation college goers, students at risk of dropping out of high school, and students who would benefit from accelerated learning opportunities.

Students can leave early college at the end of a year. They cannot come back.

Basnight explained the difference between Advanced Placement (AP) courses and those at early college or dual enrollment.

AP credits are allotted by the receiving college or university for grades of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP exam. In Dare County, 60% students at Cape Hatteras Secondary made 3, 4 or 5, at Manteo High, 46% and at First Flight 70%. Dual enrolled students received college credit for courses passed with a C or better. Cape Hatteras Secondary had 89%, Manteo 85% and First Flight 91%.

Early college “is about completion/certification.” Teachers help navigate. And, Basnight said, “it’s not just about college.” Certifications are available.

Basnight addressed school financing. Dare County Schools “receive[s] a very small amount of federal funding” and that funding is for specifically defined uses.

North Carolina funding also comes with program uses defined by budget codes.

Locally, Basnight said “we are blessed” with the funding formula. In the fiscal year 2025 budget, Dare commissioners included funding for increased supplements for staff. The county, along with Nags Head and Southern Shores, funds a school resource officer in every school. Dare funds full time school nurses in most schools.

About the capital improvement plan, Basnight said “all of this is fluid.” He further elaborated: “it’s not either/or. It’s this and that.”

Concluding, Basnight said “it’s always going to be about kids ¾ every time.”

During public comment at the meeting, six people expressed support for a Dare County early college. One opposed and four others raised questions. One spoke about adding advanced chemistry.

Three speakers thought early college sounded good and asked why the school board cannot provide all high schools with early college. Another person voiced a similar position in an email to the Board of Education.

In emails received about early college, three voiced issues surrounding transparency, five supported early college for Dare County, three wanted repairs before new building, and one needed confusion straightened out among early college, AVID and AP courses. Two people wrote seeking jobs. Two commissioners, Bea Basnight and Wally Overman, wrote with thanks. COA president Jack Bagwell sent an early copy of his op-ed piece refuting the idea that COA’s Dare campus was not growing. Tim Sweeney, dean of the Dare campus, wrote. A building index asked for more information about the timeline and Waters Edge Village School wanted to know the parameters for Corolla students to attend the Dare Schools early college. Two reporters queried the superintendent.

David Twiddy, chairman of the Dare County Board of Education, presided at the meeting. Five members of his board attended the meeting.

All members of the Dare County Board of Commissioners attended the meeting.

A video of the meeting is posted on the Dare County Schools YouTube channel.

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