How It Works

The success of each early college depends on deep collaboration between high school, college and tribal partners. Together, they develop an early college high school, offering Native students up to two years of college credit while simultaneously earning their high school diplomas.

With these partnerships firmly in place, each stakeholder is responsible for providing its own host of student supports and participating equally in the governance of the early college high school.

A comprehensive list of early college design elements is below.

EARLY COLLEGE FOR NATIVE YOUTH DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Early College Location, Facility, Name, Students, Governance, and Recruitment Requirements

• The early college is small and autonomous
• School has its own dedicated 9th-13th grade facility
• School site may include grades 6-13 or outreach to grades 6-8 is in place
• School name and mission reflect early college
• School is co-designed and governed by tribal, school, and college leaders
• School is located within 10 miles of tribe and 40 miles of college or university partner
• 50%+of students are Native
• 180 students are recruited and attend grades 6-8 by fourth year of grant (60 students per grade)
• 300 students are recruited and attend grades 9-13 by fourth year of grant (60 students per grade)
• 50 adults may attend one or more grades 9-13 classes
• Open admissions policy is used for student recruitment
• As many Native teachers as possible teach at the school

Early College Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Requirements

• Cultural content is integrated throughout classes and school as local tribe determines appropriate
• School calendar respects Native traditions
• Teachers co-plan course content with tribal members
• Rigor and high expectations are evident in student work
• 6th-8th grades offer core, college preparation, and cultural curriculum
• 6th-8th grades offer an early college class that orients students to college
• 9th-10th grades offer core, college preparation, and cultural curriculum
• 11th grade offers core curriculum plus one or more college classes
• 12th-13th grades offer several college classes
• 45 + college credits are offered during the 11th and 12th grades
• Advisories are offered daily
• Powerful forms of teaching, learning and assessment are used
• Project-based teaching and learning are evident
• Students complete one tribal project annually
• Hands-on, experiential instruction is evident
• Multiple forms of assessment measure student achievement
• Students are organized into cohorts for small group support
• Students have individual, personalized learning plans
• Students take SAT, ACT or other college exams

Secondary Early College Student Support Requirements

• School provides one mentor per 20 students
• Individual counseling is offered to all students
• All students participate in daily advising class or seminar
• School has attendance initiatives
• School provides after-school support programs
• School provides personalized academic planning
• School staff explain financial options for college
• School has "hand-off" process in place for graduates onto college

Postsecondary Student Support Requirements

• College provides orientation and preparation for new students
• College provides support with college applications
• College provides enrollment support
• Coordinator is hired to provide supports to Native college students
• College administers placement tests to all early college students
• Visits to the college campus are coordinated by the postsecondary and secondary partners
• Student identification cards are issued to all early college students

Tribal Student Support Requirements

• Community members present in schools as leaders, teachers, mentors, etc. in ratios of 1 to 20 students
• Tribe has process in place to approve cultural content
• Tribe ensures that each student is supported by adult tribal member
• Tribe orients districts and school to student population
• Tribe trains teachers in cultural perspectives
• Tribe offers Native language instruction if feasible
• Tribe supports attendance initiatives
• Tribe provides after-school support programs
• Families complete school satisfaction surveys
• Tribe offers personalized academic planning
• Tribe hosts family support and community meetings
• Tribe educates students about scholarships or other financial resources for college

Because a key goal of early college high school is for students to earn up to two years of undergraduate college credit, the CNE encourages each early college to begin offering rigorous, college-level coursework throughout its curriculum, and to consider adding a 13th year, if feasible.

A suggested early college course sequence is below. Bolded courses indicate college-level classes and credits offered.

KRECR weaves students' traditions throughout the curriculum.

Launching and sustaining an early college for Native youth requires community engagement beyond what has previously existed in Indian Country. Equal governance by tribal, secondary and postsecondary partners, in tandem with input from families, community members, elders and leaders, have allowed early colleges for Native youth to become true community institutions.

With tremendous vision and strength, a growing network of Native communities have launched early colleges. For them, the rewards of offering culturally relevant, academically rigorous dual credit opportunities to their students has emerged.