CONCORD — Concord-Carlisle High School has launched a new partnership with Middlesex Community College allowing students to earn college credit while taking courses at the high school.
According to Dr. Laurie Hunter, superintendent of Concord Public Schools and the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District, 46 students are taking Anatomy & Physiology or Introduction to Sociology for college credit this fall through the dual enrollment program, which launched this year.
The courses are taught at Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS) by Rebecca Mahoney, who teaches Anatomy & Physiology, and Chris Gauthier, who teaches Introduction to Sociology. Superintendent Hunter said both teachers meet Middlesex Community College’s qualifications to teach their respective courses at the college level, and the college approved their course syllabi.
The partnership allows students to take college-level courses as part of their regular high school schedules without traveling to a college campus or coordinating classes around a separate college calendar.
“One of the challenges with dual enrollment is that high school and college schedules rarely line up,” CCHS Assistant Principal Jennifer Scott said. “This partnership lets students earn college credit here at CCHS with teachers they know, and within our typical school calendar.”
Students enrolled in the two courses can apply through Middlesex Community College to receive college credit. Students pursuing college credit take the courses alongside classmates who are enrolled only for high school credit.
Participating students pay a discounted rate of $131 per college credit. Grant funding through the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership covers participation costs for eligible students, and six CCHS students are currently participating at no charge, Superintendent Hunter said in a statement.
“We want students to have access to these opportunities regardless of their ability to pay,” Assistant Principal Scott said. “Having funding available means more students can explore a subject that interests them and begin earning college credit before they graduate.”
Students who successfully complete the program receive college credit through Middlesex Community College in addition to credit toward their CCHS graduation requirements.
Through the state’s MassTransfer program, credits can be transferred among Massachusetts public community colleges, state universities, and University of Massachusetts campuses. Students may also be able to transfer the credits to other colleges after graduation, depending on the institution’s policies.
Dr. Hunter said the high school hopes to expand the dual enrollment program to include additional courses in future years.
