Successful Concurrent Programs: An EXCELerate Program in Oklahoma |
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| Authors: | Juanita Gamez Vargas Rick Roach Kevin M David |
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| Institution: | 1. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA jgvargas@ou.edu;3. Dean of High School Relations , Tulsa Community College , Tulsa , Oklahoma , USA;4. Planning and Institutional Research, Tulsa Community College , Tulsa , Oklahoma , USA |
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| Abstract: | The article presents the implementation and findings of a successful collaborative effort with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE), Tulsa Community College (TCC), and two local public school districts, Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) and Union Public Schools (UPS). Known as EXCELerate, it's a five-semester dual enrollment pilot program that received state policy exceptions for juniors and seniors to enroll in dual enrollment courses and supportive resources from the participating agencies. Whereas the traditional dual enrollment student is White and college-going, the program's intent was to increase the number of high school students who may be first-generation, lower-socioeconomic, ethnic or non-ethnic. The article identifies three major barriers to successful dual enrollment and completion: state policy, financial issues, and transportation. It also examines how these barriers were eliminated through a collaborative effort. The results demonstrate that over 87% of the juniors and seniors persisted over the semesters, and enrollment tripled among African American and Latino students. The article is constructed to benefit further research and practical application for urban and rural community colleges. |
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