Double Dip: 海角社区 Brings Neurodiverse Learning to High School
By Richard Burnett
From the moment she entered the classroom, Rose DeJarnett felt a sense of hope in the air. It was the 海角社区 faculty member鈥檚 first visit to see the college鈥檚 new dual enrollment program for neurodivergent learners in action at a local high school. She wasn鈥檛 disappointed.
DeJarnett saw students energized to succeed in a college-level course they never imagined they could take. Some had ADHD, dyslexia, or some other learning disability. Whatever the case, they were right in 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 wheelhouse as the country鈥檚 first accredited college exclusively for neurodiverse students with learning disabilities and attention issues.
This was 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 first venture into dual enrollment 鈥� one of the fastest growing areas of American education. Nearly 2.5 million high school students in the U.S. took dual enrollment courses last year, triple the number a decade ago, according to .
叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 dual enrollment course 鈥� 鈥淟earning Essentials & Self Discovery鈥� 鈥� began this past spring for juniors and seniors at Leesburg and South Lake high schools. Designed for high school and college credit, the course is modeled on the same one for 海角社区 first-year students.
“The dual enrollment program at 海角社区, like those at Lake-Sumter State College and Lake Technical College, along with our various Career and Technical Education certification programs, give students a competitive edge and sets them up for success,” said Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay. 鈥淚t is through these postsecondary partnerships that we are able to ensure that every student has the opportunity to accelerate their learning and graduate prepared for college and the workforce.鈥�
Though new to dual enrollment, 海角社区 is far from a newcomer to college readiness programs for high schoolers with learning and attention issues. The college offers on-campus summer courses, virtual transition programs with one-on-one coaching, and a number of online collegiate courses.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to bring our mission into high schools for students who learn differently,鈥� said DeJarnett, program coordinator and assistant chair of 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 General Education Department. 鈥淪o many times, they are told there鈥檚 no place in college for them; that they can鈥檛 succeed. It falls on our shoulders to get into the schools and show them there is, in fact, a place for them. I believe this program is critical in giving them that sense of confidence they can make it.鈥�
Its dual enrollment program has been a while in the making as 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 team worked to cover all the bases. That included selecting the best qualified high school teachers to teach the course, training them in the 海角社区 approach for students who learn differently, and establishing a working relationship between teachers and 海角社区 support staff, such as learning specialists and counselors.
鈥満＝巧缜� is such a special place for our neurodiverse student population, we have to make sure when we make dual enrollment available in the community, we do it the right way,鈥� said Dr. Kevin Reilly, 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚 vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 especially important for us to provide the appropriate level of support services for those dual enrollment students. And because of our neurodiverse student profile, that takes a little more work than your basic dual enrollment program.鈥�
Several factors have created the recent wave of dual enrollment in the U.S., experts say. Many community colleges have embraced it to help offset their decline in enrollment as many high school graduates are instead joining the work force or entering four-year colleges. Also, more states are creating or expanding dual enrollment programs to increase access to college education.
But the main factor is cost savings for families. Most dual enrollment courses, like 叠别补肠辞苍鈥檚, are offered free of charge by the public school system.
鈥淧eople are concerned about the costs of higher education: state legislators and governors, families and students,鈥� Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program at the Aspen Institute, told . 鈥淭he idea of getting college credit while you鈥檙e in high school is appealing as a way of holding the cost of college down.鈥�
For DeJarnett, the impact on the lives of dual enrollment students is worth all the hard work to make it happen.
鈥淚 love to see the feeling of pride they have at getting this opportunity to take a college course,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e also have them visit 海角社区, spend a day with us, have lunch on campus, and understand they are part of us. It helps instill in them the sense of accomplishment they get from earning credit on their college transcript.鈥�