An early/middle college combines a high school and a community college, with high school students able to take college-credit classes -- and in some cases earn associate degrees -- before graduation from high school.
The San Diego Community College District is providing the "college" portion of the work, in collaboration with San Diego Unified staff. The emphasis at the campus will be the so-called STEAM subjects: science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
Marne Foster, the Board of Education Vice President whose sub-district includes Lincoln, praised the new program.
"I have to say that I'm very pleased and encouraged, particularly with the wonderful partnership that we have with the Community College District," said Foster. "We know that for this middle college to be successful -- and it will be successful -- it takes transformational leadership."
San Diego Unified currently has two early/middle college programs: the Met High School, located at San Diego Mesa College; San Diego Early/Middle College on the San Diego City College campus. Many other high schools have community college programs on their campuses.
Also attending the Board of Education meeting were Dr. Constance Carroll, Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District and Dr. Anthony E. Beebe, President of San Diego City College.
"It will enable these children to reach their full potential as human beings and happy citizens," said Dr. Anthony Beebe, President of San Diego City College.
The new Lincoln curriculum will place an emphasis on hands-on, project-based learning, with an advisory model utilizing coordinators, internships for students, student exhibitions and dual enrollment with San Diego Unified and the community college, providing students the opportunity to earn college credit.
The Lincoln High School Middle College design will emphasize the following.
- Foster an innovative learning environment through professional development and distributed leadership, enabling administrators and teachers to respond to the challenges of preparing the underprepared (closing the achievement gap) and advancing the well prepared through mastery, competency, and project-based learning.
- Provide the faculty with state-of-the art professional development and time for developing curriculum modules/Common Core Standards and planning instruction.
- Infuse design and the arts into all aspects of the curriculum as a means of nurturing creativity and innovations and creating competent problem-solvers.
- Meeting diverse students where they are academically when they enter high school, enabling all to master high school work and engage in complex real-world questions through a STEAM lens.
- As students demonstrate key skills, academic course content, and rigor, they can enroll in college level courses and earn multiple years of college credit for free.
- Academic, social supports and interventions (academic labs in English/math) that will help students succeed in a challenging course of study.
- Support to ease the difficult transition between high school and college: students begin taking college courses as early as tenth grade.
- Provide opportunities for students to obtain, in addition to a high school diploma, multiple forms of certifications and credentials in their career interests through industry-certified programs, where available.
- Assess student performance using multiple measures, stressing exhibitions, simulations, and other performances that demonstrate skill and understanding.
- Interdisciplinary projects aligned with Common Core Standards will drive the high school level curriculum.
- Partnerships with local business, academic, and service communities are highly visible in curriculum choices (content, context) and in students’ opportunities for internships and research.
- Ensure that all parents have numerous and varied opportunities to contribute to and monitor their child’s learning program and engage in school activities.
- Students must have a GPA of 3.0. to meet the criteria to enroll in transferable college courses, to participate in technical education classes and the CISCO academy earning a certification.
- Students with a GPA less than 3.0 will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
- Students who are interested in internships must have a 2.5 GPA.
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