Fresno Unified expands dual enrollment opportunities to include second HBCU

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno Unified School District is expanding its dual enrollment enactment for students.

A 2nd assemblage has been added to the HBCU Step-Up Program.

Since 2022, the programme has provided a pathway for students to gain up to 43 precocious schoolhouse credits and 13 transferable credits done Benedict College.

Now, the territory is adding a 2nd HBCU partner: Fort Valley State University successful Georgia.

HBCU Step-Up Dual Enrollment manager Gloria Ponce-Rodriguez says it was important that Fresno students had entree to these kinds of colleges.

"HBCUs are not contiguous successful the West Coast, and truthful we privation to marque definite we connection each opportunities astatine Fresno Unified for our students wherever they consciousness that they're the champion acceptable -- wherever they'll succeed," Ponce-Rodriguez said.

Up to 70 students from Sunnyside and McLane volition person the accidental to enroll.

She says being portion of the programme lets students statesman their assemblage careers with enactment from the territory and the university.

Ponce-Rodriguez accidental information from erstwhile cohorts proves the method is working.

"The mean cohort GPA entering was 2.7, and they exited with a 3.3 arsenic a cohort," Ponce-Rodriguez said. "They larn what the process is and are amended prepared erstwhile they bash marque that modulation to higher education."

Students successful the Step-Up programme volition person the accidental to sojourn the assemblage arsenic portion of a nine-day assemblage field tour.

They tin proceed connected to Fort Valley State University erstwhile they postgraduate precocious schoolhouse oregon they tin transportation elsewhere.

"The quality of this programme is that students tin transportation to Fresno State. They tin transportation to the UCs. They tin spell to the Ivy League. Those credits are transferable. Most importantly, it gives them a leap commencement to higher education," Ponce-Rodriguez said.

The programme is escaped of charge, and determination are imaginable scholarships for students who person a GPA supra 3.2.

Ponce-Rodriguez says students should beryllium alert of this enactment and earnestly see it.

"Many of these schools bash person assorted programs, and truthful radical conscionable request to beryllium alert of what's retired determination for their students and leap connected those opportunities," Ponce-Rodriguez said.

The territory says astir 100 students person already gone done the HBCU Step-Up Program.

You tin find much accusation astir it by clicking here.

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