What:  Innovations in College Readiness:  How Early College High Schools are preparing students underrepresented in higher education for college success.

Who:  Jobs for the Future (JFF)

Website:  Download JFF's Entire Report or Executive Summary

Learn More:  THSP Early College Initiative

The philosophy behind "early college's" approach is grounded in the expectation that most students have the intellectual ability to succeed in college.  What many students do not have—particularly students whose parents did not go to college—is college expectations, meaningful college exposure, sufficient academic rigor in their K-12 classes, and the habits of mind required for college success.  Early college schools provide these missing ingredients through dual enrollment opportunities and comprehensive student supports. This philosophy is built into the design of the schools, which supports broad populations of students in earning high school diplomas and up to two years of college credit (including an Associate’s degree) while in high school.

The school design includes the following key elements:  

• Providing high school students with deep, diverse, and sustained experiences on college campuses that help to demystify the process of applying to and attending college;

• Immersing the students in rigorous coursework building to and including college courses while in high school