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DuPage HSD 88 science department outlines career pathways, expands dual-credit ties with College of DuPage
Summary
District science department heads described Project Lead The Way biomedical sequences, AP and dual-credit opportunities and new classroom initiatives, and said College of DuPage is partnering to expand transcripted credit.
Dave Garcia, science department head at Willowbrook High School, and John Fowser, science department head at Addison Trail, told the DuPage High School District 88 Board of Education on Feb. 3 that the district’s science program emphasizes career pathways, literacy and expanded college-credit options.
The presenters said Project Lead The Way (PLTW) biomedical courses anchor the district’s health-care pathway, with Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems and Medical Interventions forming the sequence. Garcia said the classes let students “take on the role of biomedical professionals” through hands-on labs, case studies and a capstone project at Willowbrook called Biomedical Innovations.
The pair described dual-credit and AP options: both schools offer AP chemistry, AP environmental science, AP biology and AP Physics 1; some sections are paired with College of DuPage (COD) transcripted credit. Fowser said Addison Trail now offers a new dual-credit honors chemistry course equivalent to one semester of introductory college chemistry but noted that that course “would not be eligible for a STEM major” at some colleges, while AP chemistry remains the route for STEM-track credit. The presenters said AP biology is currently offered as dual credit at both schools and that PLTW also provides university partners that may award credit after end-of-course exams.
Presenters described scheduling and prerequisite issues for dual-credit chemistry: College of DuPage requires a math-placement threshold and provides proctoring; the honors chemistry class has a lower math prerequisite than AP dual-credit. A board member asked whether dual-credit classes require students to be juniors; presenters said eligibility depends on meeting prerequisites and math-placement scores.
Fowser said Edison Trail is piloting an ACT-preparation initiative built into classes twice weekly from post–winter break through the week before the April ACT test. Garcia said Willowbrook plans to seek COD approval next year for two instructors to teach AP Physics 1 and AP Environmental Science as dual-credit offerings.
School leaders credited COD’s partnership, calling District 88 an early COD partner for these science pathways and noting the relationship has enabled course expansion and transcripted credit options. They closed by thanking the board for time and invited questions.
