The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee Monday night heard from Tom Hallahan, Vineyard coordinator for Cape Cod Community College (CCCC), who announced that the college will be partnering with the high school to start a dual-enrollment program in the fall. A total of 40 to 80 seniors will have the opportunity to take Writing 1 and 2 and World History 1 and 2 for college credit. At three credits per class, students could earn up to 12 college credits, transferable to numerous colleges and universities.
Interim MVRHS Principal Peg Regan said the courses will be offered to students who would not typically take an Advanced Placement (AP) course, which can also be taken for college credit.
“We had a lot of conversation about how that would work,” she said. “We didn’t want to drain the AP classes, but at the same time, we wanted to advantage kids who wouldn’t have the opportunity.”
School guidance director Michael McCarthy said the CCCC courses will be similar to 11th grade AP courses, but offered exclusively to seniors.
“It’s a different cohort of kids that are looking at these courses than the current AP students,” he said. “It’s actually a very good mix the way it lined up for us, because it allows us to open up these opportunities for kids who normally wouldn’t try a college course until they go to college. Now they’re going to get an opportunity during high school to attempt a college course, look at the structure, and go through that same type of learning environment.”
Mr. Hallahan said CCCC will be absorbing the tuition costs, which will total between $52,000 and $104,000 depending on how many students sign up. He said the college is looking to partner with Island organizations in order to continue covering the costs of the program in the future.
“I can’t tell you the number of students that I saw, even with the number of students that we have, who came to see me because they actually couldn’t afford the college that they got into and wanted to go to,” he said. “I would hope that there will be partners that step up.”
