Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 3
Concurrent Enrollment Partners TPS with TCC
Vicki Simmons, TPS Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator
Concurrent Enrollment has been around for a long
time and any high school junior or senior in Oklahoma who “Many of our students get to their senior year
meets the college admission requirements can enroll in
college courses. Tulsa Public School students have been
and only need one or two credits to graduate.
participating in concurrent enrollment, but at an alarming
Concurrent enrollment allows them a head
low rate. As of the 2008-2009 school year, around 30 out
start on college at a reduced rate…”
of the 3,500 TPS junior and senior students took concurrent enrollment courses. After taking my position with TPS come in an hour early to school, three days a week for this
as the Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator, I quickly dis-
class. They will receive high school credit for this class as
covered why our students were not participating…it came
well as college credit at TCC. Currently, we have a class at
down to accessibility and affordability. Many of our stu-
Webster and a class at Hale; however, we are in the proc-
dents do not have transportation to get to a TCC campus
ess of making sure that every TPS high school will have a
in order to take a class, and while ACE is a wonderful pro-
TCC college course taught on campus next year.
gram and helps cover the cost of tuition, our students still
have to pay for the student activity fees and purchase
There are so many advantages concurrent enrollment provides for our high school students. One advan-
their books, placing concurrent enrollment out of reach for tage is that it makes their senior year more meaningful.
our students. TPS is an urban district with 75% of its stu-
Many of our students get to their senior year and only
dents on free/ reduced lunch; therefore, concurrent en-
need one or two credits to graduate. Concurrent enroll-
rollment merely dangles like a carrot for most of them and ment allows them a head start on college at a reduced
emphasizes the disparity of our students compared stu-
rate; therefore, saving their families hundreds of dollars.
dents in other districts. So, TPS and TCC began working
Another way it is advantageous is that it gives them a taste
together to make concurrent courses a reality for TPS stu-
of the college experience while they are still in high school.
dents. TCC sends an instructor to our high school cam-
This allows them to dip their toes in the pool of responsi-
puses where we have a minimum of 10 students in order
bility and see if they can manage it. The concurrent stu-
to make a class. Due to a grant with TCC and TPS, four of
dents have several free hours throughout their school day
our high schools have the majority of their student activity just like if they were full time college students. They use
fees waived. TPS will now purchase the textbooks and,
this time to work on class projects/papers/homework.
through generous community support, the student activity The students at Webster and those taking American Fedfees are covered for any student on free/reduced lunch at
eral Government at Hale have used their time wisely and
the other high schools not covered under the grant.
speak to this point of being glad to have had the opportu-
This new arrangement with TCC and TPS is chang-
nity of learning to manage free time. How many times do
ing the landscape for many of our students. For example,
we hear the story of students going away to college only
one of our students taking a psychology class taught by
to have to come home because they could not handle the
TCC Professor Terry Bell at Webster High School com-
freedom or responsibility? What a valuable lesson to learn
mented, "I feel like I'm back in kindergarten again when I
before they get to a college campus.
was so excited to learn. When I get out of class, I want to
The partnership between TCC and TPS is a strong
tell everyone I see what I learned; it's so exciting; it gets
one and one that I hope will co ntinue for years to come.
me out of bed in the morning.” Our students at Webster
The beneficiaries of this partnership…our students!