Academic Targets and Credit Bearing Transition Programs
The Geneseo Schools pride themselves on their mission statement: “High Expectations for Academic Achievement in a Safe and Caring Environment using Effective and Efficient Operations”. For the past seven years, the Board of Education has focused attention on improving student achievement in regards to readiness for post-secondary learning and employment. In the fall of 2004, the Board adopted the 2010 Initiative – a blueprint for both improving and evaluating the district’s K-12 curriculum and instruction and student achievement. The primary goal of the initiative is: All students who desire may enroll in courses that will earn college credit before leaving high school. In order to provide the opportunities necessary to achieve this lofty goal, the Board of Education approved the Academic Targets policy and supported increases in the number of courses offered at the high school that provide students with the possibility of gaining college credits.
ACADEMIC TARGETS
In order for students to find success in college credit bearing courses at the high school level, preparation for academic rigor must begin early. The American College Testing program has conducted research on the levels of competence students should achieve in order to have a reasonable prediction of success in college level courses or in vocational training programs after high school. The Geneseo Schools’ Academic Targets policy supports a district wide goal of preparing students academically in order to meet the level of proficiency recommended by the ACT battery of tests for college readiness – starting in the middle school years. Students, parents, counselors and teachers are more aware now of the types of skills and knowledge that should be taught and learned through opportunities provided in the core curriculum. Student readiness for higher levels of thinking and problem solving, along with higher degrees of competency in reading and mathematics, is now preparing more Geneseo students for successful completion of courses that produce a greater likelihood of post-secondary achievement.
CREDIT BEARING TRANSITION PROGRAMS
The Geneseo Schools offer a wide range of courses through which students can earn college credit before they officially enroll in a post-secondary institution. These classes are not only focused upon students who are preparing for a two or a four year college, but also for students who are looking at careers in the technical/industrial areas. Entering college with credit has some substantial perks – including allowing students to enroll in classes earlier than their Freshman peers, giving students an edge in understanding the enrollment, registration process, and familiarity with college expectations. Recent research has shown that students who complete college credits while still in high school have a greater likelihood of persisting in post-secondary education to completing a credential.
Advanced Placement Courses
Students in Geneseo have been participating in Advanced Placement classes since the 1989-90 school year. A wide range of courses is available, but varies from year to year based on student enrollment. All enrolled students complete the national Advanced Placement exams for the subject area of their course. Over the years nearly 75% of Geneseo students taking an AP exam have earned at least a 3 or higher score, which generally qualifies students for comparable college credits – at least 3 and up to 12 credits depending on the college and specific departmental requirements. Students who complete the AP course and the exam are better prepared for college classes upon entry to post-secondary learning than students who did not participate in the course or did not prepare for the national exam.
Dual Enrollment Courses
Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois has partnered with Geneseo High School to provide college credit classes for at least a decade. However, the beginning of the 2005-06 school year marked a dramatic change in the delivery of these courses. Before that time, the college sent instructors to our high school to teach the students – generally in an early bird class format. Three BHC classes were available for students, at the full tuition rate. Starting in 2005, teachers at Geneseo High School who met the qualifications for adjunct status at Black Hawk College were able to teach courses for the community college as a part of their regular class load. Students who enroll in BHC courses taught by Geneseo teachers pay an administrative fee and book costs, but no tuition fees. Students needing assistance to pay for college textbooks have been supported by the local community through scholarships. Black Hawk College continues to provide instructors for additional classes, including the Certified Nurses Assistance Certificate program, co-sponsored by Hammond Henry Hospital. The HHH Auxiliary and local Geneseo foundations provide tuition assistance for students enrolled in the C.N.A. program. Our high school instructors also offer welding classes for BHC credit as a part of a college certification program. In the past school year, students at Geneseo High School earned a total of 654 college credits. This figure represents a tremendous savings to students and families in the Geneseo community.
Pre-College Courses
Between 35-45% of Geneseo students enter a two-year college upon graduation. In the past, teachers and counselors had been concerned about students who had entered college but were either repeating courses or starting off in classes below the 100 level (non-credit courses) to bolster their skills and knowledge to the point of being “college ready”. In order to meet this need, pre-college courses in reading and mathematics, modeled after identical classes offered at Black Hawk College, are now taught by Geneseo High School instructors. Students pay no tuition fees or book costs to complete these classes. No credit is earned, but students do participate in the COMPASS examination as their final evaluation for the class. The COMPASS exam is required for entry to Black Hawk College, and gives students an indication of their readiness for 100 level classes in Mathematics and Reading. This has been a very successful program, and has seen an increase in participation and the addition of a third math class to the sequence in recent years.
For more details regarding the Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment and Pre-College courses, please see the Geneseo High School Course Planning Guide, available at the Geneseo High School website under Counseling Department.
The goals of the 2010 Initiative continue to impact students throughout their K-12 school careers, however there is so much more to preparing students to enroll and complete at least one college course before high school graduation. As a result of working toward this goal, all members of the Geneseo Schools family have looked deeper at what we teach, how we teach, and what we expect of students as a result. The curricula in all areas have been revised and updated with the Academic Targets and the goal of college credit in mind. New courses have been implemented, while others have been modified or abandoned. More students are enrolling in accelerated math courses at the middle and high school levels. And, more students have completed four years of math and science instruction at the high school level. In fact, the math and science course sequence is designed with the knowledge that students who complete Physics and Pre-calculus before high school graduation have a much higher likelihood of completing a post-secondary credential than students who do not complete these courses. The thinking skills required for such classes are the primary indicator of post-secondary success – regardless of the student’s career pathway. We realize that all students will need some type of post-high school training and more than likely that training will require students to be able to show their competency in reading and math skills and knowledge at a much higher level than at any time in our recent past. Students in Geneseo are competing with students around the globe for employment opportunities. We are also keenly aware that our graduates are our best local resource and we do support businesses that will attract our local talent as they come back to the area equipped with new skills and knowledge. The professional educators in the Geneseo School District are working very hard to ensure that both preparation and opportunities to learn are available for all students – for their future and for that of the greater Geneseo community.
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