A sizable grant from the New York State Education Department will enable Avon Central School District to cover all costs associated with taking college credit-bearing courses for members of our classes of 2028 through 2032 over the next four school years.
Awarded through the New York State Smart Scholars Early College High School Program, the $825,000 grant will help Avon students earn college credits in one of two college pathways, said High School Principal Ryan Wagner: Liberal arts/general studies and computer information systems.
“We've been looking at our college pathways and our dual credit courses and have had a goal that we've been working toward over the past two years of increasing the number of classes we offer to get kids as close as we can to earning an associate’s degree or, potentially, even have them earn an associate’s before they graduate,” said Wagner, a member of the grant team that successfully applied for the funding. “We view this program as a great incentive to get kids into a college pathway and it also saves money for our families.”
Previously, the cost to an Avon student of taking a college credit-bearing course through our district’s higher education partner, Genesee Community College, was $75 per credit hour, said Wagner, or $225 for your standard, three-credit hour course. Thanks to this grant funding, that cost will now be $0. If a student were to earn the maximum of 60 college credits through the program, that would translate to a potential savings of $4,500 in tuition costs.
Our district’s grant team submitted its application to the program in November 2023 and were notified in February that Avon had been awarded funding.
“We’re excited to be able to offer our students and their families a cost-effective option for working toward college credit through dual enrollment that may culminate in an associate's degree,” added Director of Academic Programs Christina Ecklund, another member of the grant team. “Through this program, we’ll also be able to provide support to students who may wish to transfer to a partner four-year institute of higher education where they can continue to receive academic and social support to complete a bachelor’s degree within two years of matriculation.”
Grant funding through the program becomes available on a rolling basis, explained Wagner. In the first year of the program, the 2024-25 school year, funding will cover the costs of college courses for members of Avon’s class of 2028, who will be freshmen in September. Then, during the 2025-26 school year, funding will be used to cover costs for members of the class of 2028, who will be sophomores, and members of the class of 2029, who will be freshmen.
The program will continue in this way until it expires at the end of the 2027-28 school year when members of the class of 2028, who were freshmen when the program began, are set to graduate.
Students who choose to enroll in the program must earn 24 credits by the end of their junior year and are required to take three courses on GCC’s campus.
“So part of the program is getting that exposure to the college experience,” said Wagner. “They can do those in-person courses over the summer or we can organize for them to go over their senior year. So they’d spend part of their school day over there and then come back to Avon and take classes here, too.”
If a student doesn’t meet the requirements of the program, there aren’t any consequences, said Wagner.
“It’s not like they have to go back and pay for the courses,” he said. “So there’s really no downside to it whatsoever.”
Because so many Avon teachers are accredited by GCC to teach college credit-bearing courses, students who participate in the program won’t need to travel off campus all that often, added Ecklund.
“That’s one of the nice things about how we’re going to run this program here in Avon. It’s going to function kind of as a school within a school where kids can be involved in the program while still remaining part of our student body,” she said. “They’re still going to be Avon students and are going to be here on our campus on a regular basis and won’t be missing out on all those special events and time with their classmates which really help contribute to having a strong, school community.”
Those interested in hearing more about the program and in seeing if their student is eligible can complete and submit an interest form. To access the form, click here.
Questions can be directed to High School Counselors Amanda Palmer at (585) 226-2455, ext. 1729, or Liz Cooke-Megliore at (585) 226-2455, ext. 1727.