Initiatives
Classrooms for the Future | Project 720 | Dual Enrollment
 
 
Classrooms for the Future
Ralph Brinkman, Coach
Under Governor Edward G. Rendell’s vision and leadership and on the platform for infrastructure established through the E-Fund and E-rate, Pennsylvania is currently building high-speed connectivity to all classrooms to enable 21st Century education to flourish in Pennsylvania. These connections will make it possible to support timely and global communication and collaboration in classrooms.
Teachers in the 9th Grade Academy will be the first teachers in the high school to receive all the equipment and training. Each teacher in the Academy will receive a Promethean electronic whiteboard, a laptop, a printer, and a projector. Math and English teachers will receive 300 student laptops to be used in the classrooms. They will also have use of digital and video cameras for content area projects. This grant will be funded for three years; other high school content area teachers will be receiving the same equipment as the 9th Grade Academy in the next two years.
Additional information available at
 
Project 720
All Pennsylvania students must graduate from high school prepared to enter college and the high-skills workforce.



(click on the logo to learn more)

To achieve this goal, Pennsylvania will …

  • Transform our high schools. Project 720 – named for the number of days a student spends in high school from the beginning of 9th grade to the end of 12th grade – will help transform Pennsylvania’s high schools so that every student can succeed. Project 720 pilot districts are leading the way in making the curriculum more challenging and improving the learning environment.   The 2007-08 budget includes $11 million to serve 161 schools across the Commonwealth.
  • Help students earn college credit before graduating from high school.  The 2007-08 state budget signed by Governor Rendell includes $10 million to fund Dual Enrollment Programs for high school students to take college-level, credit-bearing courses at local community colleges and four-year colleges and universities.  These courses will also count towards high school graduation requirements.  Pennsylvania's dual enrollment program also emphasizes early college, middle college, and gateway to college programs.  State funds will be targeted to at-risk students, academically challenged school districts, and the Project 720 sites.
  • Upgrade “Vo-Tech” for the 21st century. Nearly 100,000 Pennsylvania high school students enroll in a Career & Technical Education (CTE) program during their high school career. CTE must be dramatically improved so that students are held to high academic standards and receive training for high-demand occupations.
  • Create seamless Transitions from High School to Higher Education. Pennsylvania must align its high school and postsecondary education in order to better serve our students. The Commonwealth will explore using the 11th grade statewide reading and math assessments as college entrance and placement exams and will create a statewide transfer policy between two-and four-year public higher education institutions to ensure that students can move their credits from one institution to another – and that the credits count in their major field.  Governor Rendell created the Commission on College and Career Success to focus on preparing high school students for post-graduate opportunities in higher education or the workforce.
Dual Enrollment
What is the Dual Enrollment Program?
The Dual Enrollment Program at CCAC provides high school students with the opportunity to take college courses while still in high school. Students wishing to take advantage of the Dual Enrollment Program must have the approval of their high school principal, counselor, and their parents. The number of courses, as well as the type of courses taken, will be determined through a joint approval process. In some cases, students may be required to take the CCAC placement test before being approved to take certain courses at the college. The grades obtained in these courses are not counted in determining the student's grade point average and class rank.
What are the requirements to participate in the Dual Enrollment Program?
Students interested in participating in the Dual Enrollment Program must have a 2.0 GPA or greater from high school. Students must have the approval for participation in the Dual Enrollment Program from their high school principal, counselor, and their parents. Students must meet all CCAC program and/or course prerequisites. Students must complete all necessary forms as required by the college.
Dual Enrollment at other Educational Institutions:
   
 •   Must be pre-approved by the principal.
•   Must be taken at a college or university.
•   1/2 Credit course must equal 60 hours; a credit course must equal 120 hours.
•   Any course taken will be counted as an elective.
•   Maximum of two credits can be applied to graduation requirements.
•   Fees and tuition are the responsibility of the student.
•   The grades obtained in these courses are not counted in determining the student's grade point average and class rank.