Greenville Technical Charter High School Celebrates National Early College High School Week

GREENVILLE, SC – March 22, 2012 – Greenville Technical Charter High School (GTCHS) is one of over 240 early colleges nationwide that will bring together students, administrators, parents, community leaders, and legislators to celebrate Early College High School Week 2012, March 25-31. 

Early college high schools are based on the concept that academic challenge not remediation will improve both high school and college graduation rates among those young people who are least likely to attend college and for whom society often has low aspirations for academic achievement. These small schools allow students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree, or up to two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree.

Early college removes many of the barriers that prevent students from advancing to college, says GTCHS Principal Fred Crawford. Students receive enhanced supports to help them earn college credit while still in high school, abbreviating the time that it takes to complete a college degree.

Students and families also benefit from reduced or free tuition costs. Ultimately, an early college high school turns obstacles into opportunities for our students. Our five-year graduation rate is at 99 percent, which attests to the effectiveness of our student-centered programs.

Crawford says that 18 GTCHS seniors in the Class of 2012 will graduate with 23 associate¹s degrees from Greenville Technical College in addition to their high school diplomas. This is a record year for GTCHS students, says Crawford. We are especially proud of these young scholars for their initiative and perseverance. It’s astounding to think that many will enter
college or university life with as many as 60 transferable college credits on their high school transcripts.

It is an incredible achievement for Greenville Technical Charter High School to have 18 seniors leaving high school with 23 associate degrees, said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. These students have completed the first half of a bachelor¹s degree, but they are gaining more than college credit. They have confidence in their abilities, and they are ready to continue their record of achievement as they move on to additional challenges.

Early college high schools help graduate more students from high school prepared for college and career success, said Marlene B. Seltzer, CEO of Jobs for the Future <http://www.jff.org> , which leads the Early College High School Initiative. These schools represent the bold approaches we need to ensure that all Americans receive the credentials necessary to obtain a family-sustaining wage. And ECHS Week is our way of telling America that all college readiness should be a top priority for our nation’s students, just as it is at Greenville Technical Charter High School.

There are more than 240 schools nationwide in the Early College High School Initiative <http://www.earlycolleges.org> , which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among others. These schools serve more than 50,000 students in 24 states. Their students are predominately of color, of low-income status, and have parents who have never attended college.

Despite those facts, 92 percent of these students graduate high school compared to the national rate of 69 percent, according to a 2009 Education Week report. Of those, 37 percent graduate with at least a full year of free college credit 22 percent even graduate high school with a diploma and an Associate’s degree.

Through our partnership with JFF and the ECHS Initiative, the lives of thousands of students are being changed for the better and the economic future of South Carolina is strengthened, says CeCe Cunningham of theMiddle College National Consortium.

For more information about the Early College High School Initiative, visit www.earlycolleges.org. To schedule a group
interview with the GTCHS students earning associate’s degrees, or to schedule a visit to learn more about our programs, please contact Fred Crawford, principal, at 250-8845.

About Greenville Technical Charter High School
Greenville Technical Charter High School is an Early College high school that focuses on success for college and career readiness through academic rigor, effective use of technology and career planning while offering students the opportunity to
earn college credit while in high school. With an enrollment of 420 students in grades 9-12, GTCHS aspires to create an equitable community of learners in which mutual respect, trust, integrity and the pursuit of ideas are valued and appreciated. In 2010 GTCHS was awarded the prestigious National Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education ­ one of only five in South Carolina with that distinction. The School has also earned Excellent report card ratings for nine consecutive years and Palmetto Gold awards for the past seven years. GTCHS has been designated as one of the top 15 charter schools in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education.

About Jobs for the Future
Through research, analysis, action, and advocacy, Jobs for the Future develops promising education and labor market models, expands successful models in communities across the country, and shapes the policy environment that enables American families and companies to compete in a global economy.
JFF is the national coordinator of the Early College High School Initiative.
www.jff.org
www.twitter.com/jfftweets

About Greenville Technical College
Greenville Technical College is a four-campus system where nearly 30,000 students are annually preparing for the strongest careers of today and tomorrow. Three of the college¹s campuses are home to charter high schools.

Established in 1962, the college¹s mission is to drive personal and economic growth through learning. With 127 curriculum program choices along with short-term training for career and personal development, Greenville Technical College gives employers a ready supply of skilled workers and provides students with an education that will help them succeed. For more information about Greenville Technical College, its programs, professors and partnerships, visit www.gvltec.edu.