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TPS, Buckeye Program with UT Expands to 150 Students
Special to The Truth
What started as a pilot
program for spring semester with two dozen Toledo Public
Schools students has proven so successful that, this fall,
150 TPS students will start earning college credit through
online courses at the University of Toledo.
That opportunity comes
thanks to a unique partnership that calls for TPS to provide
free laptops to the students and for Buckeye CableSystem to
install free at-home Internet service for those students who
need it.
In January, TPS provided
laptop computers to 24 students at four of its traditional
high schools – 10 at Woodward High School, six at Scott High
School, five at Toledo Early College and three at Waite High
School. Buckeye CableSystem provided at-home Internet
service for those without access. Seventeen of the students
earned an A or A minus in their class. Overall, the students
in the pilot program posted a 3.47 GPA – higher than the UT
class average of 3.22.
Such tangible success led
to the decision by TPS administrators to open the program to
students at all nine of its high schools – and to greatly
expand the number of students who will be participating.
Many of the 150 students taking classes this fall through
the program were on campus Monday, August 10, for a 10:30
a.m. news conference announcing the expansion. Also on
hand were Romules Durant, Ed.D, CEO/superintendent of TPS,
and representatives from Buckeye CableSystem and the
University of Toledo.
“Allowing TPS students to
earn college credits that also count toward high school
graduation requirements is a key component in the mission of
TPS to ‘produce competitive college and career ready
graduates through a rigorous curriculum across all grade
levels by implementing Ohio’s New Learning Standards with
Fidelity,’ ” said Durant.
These students will be participating in College Credit Plus
like other students in the area, but they will get added
support in the form of TPS administrators working closely
with Success Coaches at UT and monitoring their grades
throughout the semester in case they need added academic
help. The students were able to choose from the following
list of subjects: sociology, psychology, cultural
anthropology, social problems, astronomy and composition 1.
More choices are expected to be added for the spring
semester.
“We are very pleased to be a part of this progressive
initiative to help students reach their dream of earning
college credit while in high school,” said John Adams, head
of Dual Credit and Early Outreach Programs at the University
of Toledo. “Toledo Public Schools is providing computer
hardware and support, Buckeye CableSystem is providing
Internet access and The University of Toledo is providing
high caliber online curriculum giving these high achieving
students an opportunity of a lifetime and at no charge."
“Buckeye CableSystem is
pleased to be part of this great partnership,” said company
spokesperson Keith Wilkowski. “Buckeye is committed to our
community and we are especially glad to be able to make a
difference in the lives of young people as Buckeye
celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2015.” |
