Early college high school is a bold approach, based on the principle that academic rigor, combined with the opportunity to save time and money, is a powerful motivator for students to work hard and meet serious intellectual challenges. Early college high schools blend high school and college in a rigorous yet supportive program, compressing the time it takes to complete a high school diploma and the first two years of college.
Since 2002, the partner organizations of the Early College High School Initiative have started or redesigned 240+ schools serving more than 75,000 students in 35 states. The schools are designed to assist low-income youth, first-generation college students, English language learners, students of color, and other young people underrepresented in higher education simultaneously earn a high school diploma and up to an Associate degree or up to two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree—tuition free.
