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LexOne Med Start and NextGen Educator pathways launched in Lexington 01; program partnerships promise tuition-free training and paid internships
Summary
District officials described two new postsecondary career pathways — a medical-technology apprenticeship in partnership with Lexington Medical Center and Midlands Technical College, and a two-year educator pathway — including guaranteed job commitments, tuition support and early dual-enrollment coursework.
District staff briefed the Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees on two new postsecondary pathways March 25: LexOne Med Start, a health-care apprenticeship pathway, and the LexOne Next Gen Educator Pathway.
A district staff member described a collaboration among Lexington County School District One, Lexington Medical Center (LMC) and Midlands Technical College (MTC) to create the LexOne Med Start program. The pathway targets juniors and seniors and may begin for some students as sophomores; it provides dual-enrollment coursework through Midlands Tech, unpaid and then paid internships at LMC, and a tuition-free option for students who commit to work at LMC after completing the required associate-level training.
Officials said LMC helped identify local workforce needs and shaped two initial clinical pathways: surgical technology and radiology technology. Students in the program can start dual-enrollment classes as early as sophomore year for surgical tech and as juniors for radiology tech. In year 12 they may work up to 20 paid hours per week at LMC while completing remaining credits. District staff said the program is designed so students who follow the pathway can finish an associate degree after high school and transition directly to a guaranteed job at LMC; the hospital is negotiating terms for tuition support and employment commitments.
District staff reported 25–30 applicants already for the initial cohort and said LMC anticipates capacity of roughly 12–15 students per pathway each year. Staff emphasized the program is tuition free to students while in high school; dual-enrollment credits and textbooks are covered through existing lottery and partnership funds, and LMC is working on financial support for postsecondary completion.
The Next Gen Educator Pathway is a two-year junior–senior sequence created to increase homegrown teacher pipelines. The district intends to integrate existing teacher-cadet programs at high schools and add dual-enrollment courses and extended clinical experiences. Students in the pathway will spend two years embedded in Lexington 1 classrooms with mentor teachers and earn early college credits; initial cohort size was reported at 12–15 students.
District staff said initial coursework will be housed at Midlands Tech locations to simplify transportation and consolidate classes. Trustees asked about capacity, health-related requirements (immunizations and clinical clearances are determined by the clinical partner, LMC), and whether students can choose other colleges after earning an associate degree; staff said students will retain that choice but expressed that the district and partners aim to make direct employment at LMC and other regional employers highly accessible.
No formal board action was required; the briefing was informational and part of the superintendent’s postsecondary pathways update.
