LYNN — North Shore Community College has been awarded a $40,000 state grant, which will go toward a dual enrollment program aimed at low-income high school students.
Provided by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, the grant will fully fund the spring semester of NSCC’s Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership Program (CDEP).
NSCC expects to fund 100 to 110 students this spring through the CDEP program, which provides high school students with a head start and exposure to college course-taking.
The program creates opportunities for students to earn both high school and college credit for a single course tuition-free, which could potentially reduce the amount of time and money needed to complete a college degree. The ultimate goal of CDEP is to increase the population of high school graduates who are college ready.
The cost of a three-credit course at NSCC is $719, but students participating in the program are able to take general education courses free of charge. Some students opt to take multiple courses, which will all be online this spring, according to Susan Curry, NSCC director of early college partnerships.
“This funding will provide students from our high school partners the opportunity to take one of five courses offered remotely during the spring semester,” said Curry, noting that the state provides funding for the program each year, which targets low-income, first-generation students.
Curry said NSCC works with guidance counselors at their partner school districts on the North Shore to identify those students, some of whom may not have otherwise had access to an early college experience or see themselves as a potential college student.
In addition to earning college credit, students are able to improve their time management and study skills, she said, noting that services, such as tutoring and advising, are also provided.
“They increase their confidence and their ability to handle college and gain an understanding of college culture,” said Curry. “Ideally, it’s an opportunity for them to reduce the time needed to earn a college degree and the cost of a college degree. So there’s a lot of benefits to students taking the course.”
The program is open to students from North Shore area school districts that have partnered with NSCC — Danvers, Essex North Shore Agricultural, Lynn Public Schools, Revere Public Schools, Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Salem Academy Charter School and Salem High School.
Students from those school districts will be able to choose among five general education courses: First Year Experience, Speech, Intro to Statistics, Composition 1 or Intro to Psychology, according to Curry.
Although the program draws students from across the North Shore, Curry said the majority of dual enrollment students at NSCC come from Lynn and Revere.
Lynn School Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler said there are two significant benefits for students who choose to take early college courses through the district’s partnership with NSCC.
“First and foremost, when students successfully complete classes they are earning college credits which are transferable to Massachusetts state institutions of higher learning,” said Tutwiler. “That is a significant money saver. The second benefit of course is experience taking college level courses.
“In many ways, for a number of students, college is demystified through the early college process. Through these programs, students gain experience and confidence in their ability to succeed on that level. There is research that clearly indicates that students who participate in these programs significantly increase the likelihood of graduating from a two- or four-year college.”
The CDEP program was established by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in 1993, disbanded in 2002 due to a lack of funding, and was reestablished in 2008. NSCC has been offering the program since that time, according to Curry.
In announcing the award, Gov. Charlie Baker said, “I want to thank you for your commitment to increasing college participation through dual enrollment activities, particularly for low-income, underrepresented, and first-generation college students.
“Through this funding and your continued support, we hope to expand access to great educational opportunities for every student in the Commonwealth,” he said.