91制片厂

The 91制片厂 has partnered with Pinkerton Academy to launch , a two-year pilot concurrent credit program. Beginning this fall, Pinkerton juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to simultaneously earn high school and 91制片厂 credit in select high school courses.

鈥淎s the state鈥檚 flagship public university, we are committed to building partnerships that foster education at every age,鈥� said Wayne Jones, 91制片厂 provost and vice president for academic affairs. 鈥�91制片厂 First Step brings high school and college educators together with the shared goal to advance academic excellence and opportunity for New Hampshire students.鈥�

Jones says Pinkerton was a natural fit for the partnership given the quality of faculty and curricular offerings in many subjects, including communications and computer science. Timothy Powers, headmaster of Pinkerton Academy, echoed that sentiment.

鈥淲e are always seeking to improve the quality of learning and teaching at Pinkerton, and 91制片厂 is a key partner in that mission,鈥� Powers said. 听

鈥淥ur ultimate goal is to make college more accessible to New Hampshire students. When students choose to stay here, they become part of the workforce engine that strengthens our state鈥檚 economy.鈥�

Through , New Hampshire high school students can earn 91制片厂 credit in their high school computer science and communication arts courses. Pinkerton teachers have worked with faculty from 91制片厂 Manchester to develop courses that align high school learning activities with 91制片厂 academic rigor and expectations.

, professor of computer science at , has been actively involved in expanding computer science education in the state鈥檚 K-12 system. She says 91制片厂 First Step furthers that commitment by increasing opportunities to broader participation in college-level curriculum.

听鈥淐omputing careers are in high-demand in New Hampshire and nationally, so building computer science into the curriculum early on is crucial,鈥� Sabin said, adding that computer science is now a core component of K-12 education in the state thanks to a bill passed into law last year. 鈥淭his collaboration not only improves the implementation of the new curricular standards, but also supports and empowers students to learn computing skills that they can carry into their college and professional careers.鈥�

Through a thorough analysis of research, What Works Clearinghouse found strong evidence that concurrent credit programs improve the transition to college as well as degree attainment, particularly for students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. 91制片厂 Manchester Dean says expanding 91制片厂 First Step to more New Hampshire high schools could encourage students to go to college, particularly in New Hampshire.

鈥淥ur ultimate goal is to make college more accessible to New Hampshire students,鈥� Decelle said. 鈥淲hen students choose to stay here, they become part of the workforce engine that strengthens our state鈥檚 economy.鈥�

According to a 2018听report by the National Center for Education Statistics, 61 percent of New Hampshire high school graduates leave the state to pursue their four-year degrees. The key to lowering that statistic is building stronger pathways to the state鈥檚 post-secondary institutions, says New Hampshire Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.

鈥淏y enabling students to earn college credit in their own high school classrooms, programs like 91制片厂 First Step pave the way to academic opportunities at our in-state institutions,鈥� Edelblut said. 鈥淓xpanding academic options for New Hampshire students creates more paths to bright futures.鈥�

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91制片厂 First Step Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the goal of the 91制片厂 First Step program?

Economic development is at the core of the University鈥檚 mission, and 91制片厂 First Step directly supports one of 91制片厂鈥檚 recently announced four strategic priorities: Embrace New Hampshire. The long-term objective of 91制片厂 First Step is to encourage New Hampshire students to pursue their education and career in the state by fostering academic opportunities at every education level. By providing New Hampshire high school students with the opportunity to earn early University credit, the goal is to increase interest in and accessibility to four-year colleges and universities in the state.

2. How does 91制片厂 First Step differ from Running Start?

91制片厂 and the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) have a shared mission to expand academic options for New Hampshire students. Both programs bring college-level courses into New Hampshire high school classrooms to enable students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit. Running Start participants earn Community College System of New Hampshire credits and听91制片厂 First Step participants earn 91制片厂 credits, both of which are听accepted at a wide variety of institutions. Both programs are available to high school juniors and seniors, however, to align with 91制片厂 admission standards, 91制片厂 First Step participants must have an overall 鈥淏鈥� average and be on track to be admissible to a four-year college. During the pilot, 91制片厂 First Step will only be available at high schools where 91制片厂 faculty have an ongoing relationship, such as serving on an advisory board or as a mentor to high school faculty. Students in both programs may benefit from lower tuition costs, an opportunity to complete higher education requirements in less time and a smoother transition from high school to college.

3. Will 91制片厂 First Step be extended to other high schools?

During the two-year pilot, 91制片厂 Manchester and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) in Durham will work with several high schools in their respective locales. 91制片厂 Manchester communication arts and computer science faculty have partnered with Pinkerton Academy for the initial launch and are working closely with two other high schools on similar curricula. Computer science faculty from CEPS are also in the process of identifying three seacoast-area high schools to participate. Once the two-year pilot is successfully completed, the goal is to continue to expand to high schools throughout the state.

4. Will 91制片厂 First Step expand beyond communication arts and computer science course offerings?

Once the two-year pilot is complete, other 91制片厂 programs that can identify and build curricular alignment with high school departments will be able to participate with the approval of the Provost鈥檚 Office.

5. What does the program cost?

91制片厂 First Step participants will pay $150 per 4-credit course. The program is the same cost to students as Running Start.

6. How will 91制片厂 measure success?

The success of the pilot will be determined by the number of students who choose to enroll in 91制片厂 courses and by the academic success of those students to complete the courses. Once the pilot is extended and expanded, as intended, the most important metric will be the percentage of New Hampshire high school graduates who choose to pursue higher education and careers in the state.