Students and college officials tell Senate Education Committee how early college fits students' needs

Students and college officials told the Vermont Senate Education Committee on April 2, 2025, that the state's early college programs give some high school seniors an option to take a full year of college courses while completing their high school diplomas.

Committee members heard testimony about how the program operates under the Flexible Pathways policy (Act 77) and about who uses it, with students describing direct classroom and work experiences and college staff describing supports and transfer arrangements.

The hearing began with an overview from Drake's Duty, identified in the hearing record as president of the Community College of Beaumont, who said early college is one of several Flexible Pathways created by Act 77. Duty told senators that CCV currently enrolls about 250 students in early college and that roughly 6% of Vermont high school seniors participate in early college programs statewide. Duty also said more than half of CCDs early college students are from low-income families and more than half are first-generation college students; 18% of the current cohort identify as BIPOC.

Two students who are enrolled in early…