2022 - Purposeful college and career pathways open opportunities for students

Illinois’ College and Career Pathway Endorsements (CCPE) system is one of four strategies outlined in the 2016 Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act to increase the number of Illinois high school graduates prepared for college and future careers. In 2018, Elgin Community College and its four public school districts identified the development of regional college and career pathways to be a cornerstone area of focus for the Alliance for College and Career Student Success (ACCSS) partnership. The work between these partners in the last five years has resulted in regional pathway maps for five high-priority employment sectors and there are several remarkable aspects of this collaborative work that should be highlighted. 

First, the regional college-career pathway maps marked the first time ECC and its high school districts worked together to define general education and career-focused courses that best prepare students for multiple college and/or career options post-high school. This resulted in the identification of college courses to be included as dual credit. These courses are can be more flexible and more beneficial for students to complete at the high school level. Working closely with our high school partners like this has resulted in clearer roadmaps for D509 families and students to aid them in making more informed high school course selection decisions aligned with promising credentials. It is expected that such clear and published information will assist more students in seamlessly transitioning from high school to college.

Second, our collaborative work has resulted in a more strategic approach to dual credit. Each of our high school district partners is working closely with ECC to carefully select high-priority college courses for inclusion in their dual credit programs. Moreover, an increasing number of these college courses are taught at the high school location by qualified high school instructors. Before 2018-2019, area high school students were required to leave their high school and travel to ECC’s campus to enroll in dual credit courses. In the first year of the in-high school dual credit program, only 16 students enrolled, whereas now we anticipate serving over 500 students in the 2022-2023 school year!

By expanding dual credit course offerings to the high school, there are more opportunities for students attending D509 high schools to earn college credits, especially students who would most benefit from early access to higher education which includes students from low-income households, students who are first in their families to attend college, and students of color.

In fact, ECC enrollment data indicates that approximately 70 % of students enrolling in dual credit course offerings at their high schools do not enroll at ECC in the fall following high school graduation. Thus, it is essential that the ECC continue to devote resources to supporting and preparing high school instructors who teach these college courses so that we ensure students have a comparable learning experience to students attending courses at ECC. Our preparation of these instructors ensures students have a meaningful and positive experience with the college which can open the door for students and their families and friends to consider ECC at a future date. Being a good partner to our community by building strong pathways for students will ensure more students in our region have access to pathways that lead directly to good jobs and/or seamless transfer into bachelor’s degree programs. 

Mary Perkins, EdD, dean of liberal, visual, and performing arts