Additional Program Information

Developer and contact

Information on the history of the Middle College High School model and current resources for program implementation are available from the Middle College National Consortium (MCNC). Address: Ted Killmer, Director of Communications, Middle College National Consortium, 47-09 30th Street, Suite 600, Long Island City, NY 11101. Email: tkillmer@mcnc.us. Web: http://www.mcnc.us. Telephone: (718) 361-1981.

Scope of use

The MCNC reports that, as of September 2008, the Middle College High School program was operating in 29 school districts in 12 states.

Description of intervention

Middle College High Schools are alternative high schools that operate as formal collaborations between local school districts and colleges. The schools, which offer regular high school diplomas, are small—with fewer than 100 students per grade—and are located on college campuses. Faculty and students have access to the college’s educational resources and facilities, and students can take college-level courses. Since 2002, some Middle College High Schools have converted to the Early College High School model, which offers students a five-year, accelerated course of study during which they can earn an associate degree or two years of college credits at no cost, in addition to a high school diploma. This review focuses only on the four-year Middle College High School model.

The Middle College High School curriculum emphasizes development of critical thinking skills and connecting what is learned to real-world experiences. These schools typically offer career-oriented courses and internships. In addition, students often must complete a community service requirement to graduate. Classes are taught by high school teachers from the local school district. Faculty teach collaboratively and integrate material across disciplines. Within team-taught classes, students often participate in collaborative learning groups. Student-to-staff ratios are substantially lower than in traditional high school programs, allowing for more individualized attention. Middle College High Schools often use alternative assessment strategies, such as portfolios and oral presentations. They emphasize democratic school governance and use school committees—including administrators, faculty, parents, students, and college and community representatives—to provide input and guidance on school operations.

Cost⁵

Researchers estimated the cost of Middle College High School in Seattle to be $1,093 a student per month of program participation—about 50% higher than the cost of educating a student in a regular school within the district (estimated to be $734 a month).