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- Jackson Public Schools and Jackson State University have partnered to offer a new dual enrollment program.
- Eligible juniors and seniors can take online, college-level courses taught by JSU professors.
- Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher or an ACT composite score of 30 or higher to qualify.
- More than 75 students are currently enrolled in the program for the fall semester.
Junior and senior students in Jackson Public Schools can now begin their college careers early with a new dual enrollment program offered in partnership with Jackson State University.
Under the new program, JSU offers college-level courses to JPS high school students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher or have an ACT composite score of 30 or higher.
The courses are online and are part of the JSU general education, typically 100 or 200-level classes. Students in the program will take a 6-hour course-load per semester and will work with JSU advisors along the way.
“Students are advised by advisors here at Jackson State, just like other freshmen college students are,” said Preselfannie McDaniels, JSU’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “They have a certain set of courses within the general education pathway that they can apply for.”
JPS has an existing dual enrollment program with Hinds Community College. The school district also has an established program with JSU.
The Jackson Middle College program allows math majors to take college courses while still in high school. Students in this program sign an agreement to continue their math degrees at JSU after high school graduation.
The college credits in the new dual enrollment program are valid at other universities and colleges, but McDaniels’ hope is for students to continue their JSU careers after high school.
In the current fall semester, JPS has more than 75 students enrolled in the new program, and McDaniels expects that number to increase in the spring semester.
McDaniels said the new dual enrollment program is going well so far.
“Everyone was extremely enthusiastic about it on both the Jackson State and the Jackson Public Schools side,” McDaniels said.
JSU professors teach courses in the dual enrollment program, and some classes this semester have only JPS students. McDaniels said the university hopes to bring in JPS teachers in the future to teach the dual enrollment courses.
Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com.