YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY Early college high worries trustees

Start-up costs for the high school come from KnowledgeWorks Foundation.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University trustees voiced concerns over plans for an on-campus Early College High School that would open first- and second-year college courses to Youngstown city schools students.
The trustees heard a presentation on plans for such a program during a meeting Wednesday of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. Such a high school would allow students to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree or two years toward a bachelor's degree.
Trustee Larry Esterly said he has supported YSU's strong associate degree programs and would not want the quality of college courses to suffer from the inclusion of high school students.
Esterly questioned the ability of 14- or 15-year-old children to succeed in a college environment if the integrity of courses is protected.
Money issue
He further questioned finances and whether YSU would be required to provide science labs, computer labs and staff.
Trustee F.W. Knecht III said he also was concerned because there is not specific state funding for such programs.
"We just can't afford to get involved in something that we'll be embarrassed by somewhere down the road," he said.
But Youngstown Superintendent Benjamin L. McGee said state per-pupil funding would be applied to pupils in high school at YSU.
"It reroutes the existing money," McGee said. "We intend for our funding stream to follow the student. ... "I didn't walk into this blindly wondering where the money would come from."
Plans for the Early College High School are being completed by members of the YSU and Youngstown schools administration with $50,000 in grants from the Cincinnati-based KnowledgeWorks Foundation. KnowledgeWorks is funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and seeks to fund startups of five Early College high schools in Ohio.
If plans are completed according to various guidelines, the Youngstown partnership will see an additional $360,000 KnowledgeWorks grant over three years to implement the program.
The small school, of no more than 400 students, would target youngsters from minority families with low incomes and no history of college enrollment.
"It holds promise and potential and gives us an opportunity to forge the relationships with students and staff that should have been forged a long time ago," McGee said.
Other goals
Dr. Robert Bolla, dean of Arts & amp; Sciences at YSU, said other goals are to increase education outcomes and graduation rates, increase college attendance, remove financial and admissions barriers and "take advantage of the skills of high school students."
"Sixteen- and 17-year-old students should be involved in serious academic work," he added.
McGee said students will be somewhat "isolated" during their first two years on campus, and the school district will retain responsibility of them through high school graduation.
Social studies and English curricula have been planned to meet both state high school proficiency standards and college requirements. Organizers also continue to develop math and science curricula.
Students must display success in life skills courses before they would be permitted to take college courses.
Plans are to raise money to erect a school building, organizers said. Until then, they hope to use a yet-undetermined space on campus and open next fall with five classrooms, expanding to 12 by fall 2006.
Covering costs
Although specifics are not available on the ongoing funding, planners say that state funding given per pupil to the school district and per student to YSU will cover costs of operating the school long term.
KnowledgeWorks officials said they have been meeting with representatives of the Ohio Board of Regents and Ohio Department of Education to hammer out details.