BIDDEFORD — A new program, possibly the only one in the state, will allow Biddeford High School juniors and seniors to earn college and high school credit for a year-long education course starting this fall.
Already the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology allows students to earn dual credit for some courses.
The first college credits were awarded to COT students earlier this year. The COT admits students from BHS, Thornton Academy in Saco, Old Orchard Beach High School and Kennebunk High School.
The education course will be the first one taught at BHS that will allow students to earn three college credits, while also earning high school credits.
The credits will be transferable to Saint Joseph’s College, which is partnering with BHS on the course.
Other colleges would also be likely accept the credits for the introductory course, said Daniel Joseph, a professor of education and graduate studies at the college.
Both Joseph and Biddeford Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray said they came up with the idea together.
“It’s a vision we both share,” said Ray, “of trying to put this in a high school.”
Both said since they work in education, they thought offering an education course at the high school for prospective teachers made a lot of sense.
“High schools not only need to just be about rigor,” said Joseph, “but also about relevance.”
When the new standards-based curriculum gets into full gear, he said, many students will have finished their required high school curriculum by their sophomore or junior year.
They’ll be looking for new challenges, said Joseph.
Being able to take college courses for credit while still in school will be a great tool for those students to get a jump on their college career or vocation.
It should be a goal, said Joseph, that high school seniors not only receive their diploma at graduation but also earn an associate’s degree.
Although the instructor who will teach the course hasn’t been selected yet, said Ray, the course will not require hiring an additional position.
Whoever is selected will receive training and get support through Saint Joseph’s college.
The BHS teacher will use the same syllabus and teach his or her students the same introductory education course as that taught at Saint Joseph’s.
The course, said Joseph, follows the set of model core teaching standards, designed to improve student achievement, that the Council of Chief State School Officers offer through its Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.
Part of the plan also includes that the partnership between Saint Joseph and BHS continues after high school graduation, said Joseph.
He said he hopes that students who complete the course decide to continue their course work in education at Saint Joseph’s College. If so, they will likely be able to have training experiences and possibly even be hired by the Biddeford school district.
After the BHS experience, Joseph said, Saint Joseph College plans to partner with other schools to offer a similar program.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less