Barrow County highlights growth in dual enrollment; SIMS-Lanier Tech partnership emphasized
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Summary
District leaders presented rising dual-enrollment participation, local savings and program supports; SIMS Academy and Lanier Technical College partnerships were credited with expanding access.
Barrow County—s Teaching and Learning team and representatives from Lanier Technical College outlined growth in dual enrollment and described supports for students who take college courses while in high school.
The presentation by Dr. Jennifer Wood, the district—s CTAE director, and her team emphasized statewide and local growth in dual enrollment, role of the SIMS Academy campus and Lanier Technical College—s Barrow campus in providing instruction, and monthly supports designed to help students succeed in college-level classes.
Key points - State data: The University System of Georgia reported a record high of roughly 21,000 dual-enrollment students in fall 2024; presenters said that figure represented about a 40% increase from fall 2023 and a 54% increase over a prior high. - Local impact: Staff said Barrow County students saved nearly $500,000 in tuition in the most recent year by earning college credit while in high school. Presenters said approximately 618 Barrow students have participated at Lanier Tech (the number cited at the meeting was "about 618 students"). - Success metrics: Presenters reported nearly a 90% pass rate for Barrow students in dual enrollment classes (reported for the most recent fall semester) and higher college retention rates for dual-enrollment students statewide (86% remain in college after their first year vs. 73% for non-dual-enrollment peers).
Program model and supports Dr. Wood described SIMS Academy as an on-campus college-and-career hub and credited the district—s arrangement with Lanier Tech for reducing the need for additional high-school classrooms and providing instructors. She called the regular student transportation to the college campus an important equity measure, saying, "buses kids to a college back and forth every day. That's breaking barriers, y'all." She emphasized that monthly workshops and required parent-student sessions are part of a year-long support timeline (family orientation in July/August; time-management workshops in October; debt-free-degree and FAFSA support in November; recruitment and registration in January through March; and schedule approvals in April/May).
Career and diploma pathways Presenters described the Accelerated Career Education (ACE) diploma option that allows students to combine required high-school coursework with at least two technical certificates from Lanier Tech and graduate work-ready. The district reported examples of students earning industry certifications (welding, nurse aide, culinary, cybersecurity, automotive) and cited employer starting wages for certified students as evidence of workforce value.
Quotes and voices Dr. Jennifer Wood, CTAE director: "We've never been somewhere that buses kids to a college back and forth every day. That's breaking barriers, y'all." Other staff credited district--college coordination, transportation and SIMS campus space for expanding access.
Ending District leaders asked the board to continue supporting SIMS, Lanier Tech partnerships and the supports that increase student access to dual credit and career credentials.