TCC, TPS Plan To Build Upon Concurrent College Enrollment Program

Tulsa Public Schools plans to add college offerings at several high schools over the next few years.

It's an outgrowth of what started this year at Rogers College High, where juniors are enrolled in entry level college classes.

At Rogers, 86 students take college courses in classrooms on the campus.

That's going to grow this fall, and in the next year, distinct college academies could expand beyond the Rogers Campus.

The leaders of Tulsa Public Schools and Tulsa Community College want classrooms at Rogers to look more like a college campus, and next year it practically will be a college campus. TCC and TPS have signed a deal to renovate a building at Rogers to become a true satellite campus for the college.

"I want this to be a college campus. I want students to come and go all day. I want kids to see, our Will Rogers College High kids, to see this as a college campus and acclimate themselves into that culture," said TPS Superintendent Keith Ballard.

What was always Rogers High School turned into Rogers College High, after Project Schoolhouse. The junior class at Rogers can step over to the annex building on campus and take concurrent coursework through TCC.

"Instead of taking their 11th grade English class, they'll be enrolling in freshman comp through TCC, and get credit for both at the same time,' said Tom McKeon, of TCC.

The system allows students to graduate from high school with almost half of the credits for an Associate's degree.

To make it seem more like college, TPS plans to spend $250,000 to renovate the annex building.

During the day, high school students will take classes. At night, adults will attend school there, as well.

Superintendent Ballard wants to add distinct college academies to more Tulsa High Schools.

"Once we get it rolling, we might bring another high school here, and you could see four or five similar facilities popping up across the city," Ballard said.

Rogers College High will have its first graduating class in 2015, and many of those students will continue full time at TCC.

"They could start out by taking one class or two classes, and those would replace their high school requirements, so they can experience that. So, by the time they graduate, they are fully ready for a TCC campus experience," McKeon said.

Any TPS student can take classes through TCC. Go here for more information.