Early College High School and STEM Academy: Strategies for Breaking the Generational Poverty Cycle in Rural America

Gary E. Briers, Texas A & M University

Program Description

School-wide Early College--for ALL high school students at Roscoe Collegiate ISD (RCISD)--and STEM Academy designation have led to four private-public partnerships in STEM-related enterprises. More than 90% of RCISD's seniors complete an associate of science degree at high school graduation. Simultaneously, students earn industry-recognized certification in STEM fields as FAA-licensed UAV pilots, veterinary assistants, health care workers, welders, and/or computer technicians/network administrators. Because students earn a college parallel associate degree (versus an associate of applied science often considered a "terminal degree"), graduates can and do continue to matriculate into STEM majors for baccalaureate degrees. These results are in a public school district with fewer than 30 graduates annually in a rural community of fewer than 2,000 residents. Two additional goals remain to be achieved: 90% of those associate degree/high school diploma recipients will earn baccalaureate degrees and 90% of those will earn a graduate or professional degree.

Program Purpose

Rural students in small high schools are disadvantaged in terms of access to higher education and typically disadvantaged in terms of access to rigorous courses at the high school level--and thus are often less-prepared than their urban/suburban/larger school .

School-wide early college high school was one tactic. This tactic had to be paired/preceded by ramping up aspirations, expectations, and preparation of students in earlier grades.

Program Goals

High School students would be "college ready" for introductory college courses by 10th grade. 90% of all high school graduates would complete an associate of science degree at the time of high school graduation.

Program Activities

Montessori school for elementary.
School-wide 4-H from 3rd grade though graduation with inquiry-based/problem-based learning techniques, culminating with research projects (group in lower grades; individual as a 12-grade, capstone experience), research paper/manuscript, poster development, and oral presentations of purpose, methods, results, and conclusions.

4-H youth specialist as a shared faculty position with Texas AgriLife Extension Service, poster printer, grant for early college high school. Faculty development in a common instructional framework emphasizing high cognitive activities, group work, reflection, problem-based learning and teaching. Training of teaching in Montessori school methods; specific training/certification of faculty in and adoption/use of AVID (advancement via individual determination). Monitoring of student aspirations and expectations and of their parents'/guardians/ aspirations and expectations for them. Careful/close monitoring of student progress in college courses with required "Saturday school" for those students who were "falling behind"/making unsatisfactory progress in courses. Research problems that were COMMUNITY-based/relevant to the community and with which students could identify.

Notes and Tips

Dos-Have high expectations of all students.
Provide appropriate professional development for faculty.
Remain focused on the goal(s).
ASK for help! Collaborate. Seek and secure and exploit partners.
Engage stakeholders--listen, discuss, plan, report to, keep informed.
Develop public-private partnerships to create win-win situations.
Provide support systems for faculty and students to ensure success.
Borrow from the success of others. Adopt and adapt best practices.
Praise and CELEBRATE in public. Punish in private.
Be BOLD; take calculated risks. Acknowledge risks.
Don't
Ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER give up!
Chase the "flavor of the day."
Promise stakeholders more than can be delivered.
Avoid risk.
Criticize in public.

Evidence of Success

In past three years, 90% (or higher) of all of the high school's graduates also completed an associate of science degree from a local community college. Half of those have continued to a university for a baccalaureate degree.

Future Work

Because half of the 90% have NOT continued with pursuit of the baccalaureate degree, we have fallen woefully short of meeting our "second 90%" goal--that is, of 90% of the associate degree graduates pursuing/achieving baccalaureate degrees. This---we believe--is primarily the cost of relocating to another community to pursue further education. So, we are currently working with universities to offer distributed degrees to small cohorts of students in regional settings--in settings that are not within commuting distance of a public/affordable university.

References and Accessory Materials