Jamestown Schools Receive Grant To Further College Classes At JHS

JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Public Schools, in partnership with Jamestown Community College, will likely receive a $700,000 five-year grant from the New York State Education Department to further student’s ability to earn college credit.

The funding is part of the Smart Scholars Early College High School programs.

Last year, the state awarded $14 million in grants to only 19 recipients, 13 school districts and six colleges.

School officials say these grants will support partnerships between public school districts and eligible higher education institutions to provide historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students with the opportunity and support to earn an average of 24 college credits by the time they graduate high school.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with Jamestown Community College to help better prepare our students for life after high school,” said JPS Superintendent Bret Apthorpe. “The Smart Scholars Early College High School program will provide academic and social supports that our students need to graduate on time, with a Regents diploma and transferable college credits, at no cost to their families.”

Through the Smart Scholars Early College High School Program, institutions of higher education partner with public school districts to create early college high schools that provide students with the opportunity and preparation to accelerate the completion of their high school studies while earning a minimum of twenty-four but up to sixty transferable college credits at the same time.

Students will take courses both at Jamestown High School and JCC through the program. JHS students can choose from multiple degree pathways: engineering science, environmental science and web design.

The Smart Scholars Early College High School program is targeted to students who are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education. Students receive additional academic support from the school/college partnerships to ensure they are at grade level and ready to participate in rigorous high school and collegiate courses.

This “dual or concurrent enrollment” program serves to increase high school graduation and college completion rates while reducing student tuition costs as a result of the compressed time needed to complete a college degree.