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District review: College Center shows strong early returns; IB diploma enrollment declines but performance remains solid
Summary
Staff presented program evaluations for the College Center (an early-college model) and the International Baccalaureate diploma at Lexington High. The College Center reported improved college-course pass rates and potential college-cost savings; the IB program’s enrollment has dipped but student outcomes remain comparable to international peers.
At the Feb. 25 board meeting Lexington County School District One staff presented formal program evaluations of the College Center (a district early-college program housed at Gilbert High School) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program at Lexington High.
College Center: Dr. Shane Phillips and College Center director Dr. Brandon Baskett reported that the College Center — established in 2020 and targeting students who historically perform in the academic middle with college aspirations — has seen high college-course success rates and potential long-term financial value to participating students.
The evaluation presented pass rates (C or higher) in dual-enrollment coursework that have improved in recent years for most end-of-course subjects, and although dual-enrollment withdrawal rates rose in 2023–24, staff said that increase reflected program withdrawal decisions rather than poor course performance. Enrollment stood at about 150 students for 2024–25, with district projections and recruitment efforts aimed at expanding capacity to 400 over time. The College Center uses an AVID framework, partners with Midlands Technical College and USC Sumter for credentialing, and graduated its first cohort in spring 2024.
Dr. Phillips’s report included a return-on-investment illustration: with a modest non-personnel annual cost for the College Center, graduates who complete two years of college coursework at no charge to families can produce substantial avoided tuition costs; the report estimated potential college-cost savings in the hundreds of thousands across the first cohort if students continue toward associate degrees.
The evaluators recommended continued recruitment, exploring scheduling and transportation adjustments to reduce conflicts with home-school extracurricular activities, and establishing consistent annual benchmarks to track enrollment, retention and college-course outcomes.
IB diploma program: The IB diploma presentation noted that Lexington High’s diploma students perform in line with global IB cohorts: about 80% of students who attempted the full diploma in the most recent graduating cohort earned it, with average exam points slightly below world averages but comparable overall. The district said 34 students were enrolled in the eleventh–twelfth grade diploma program for the current year, while 103 freshmen and sophomores were participating in pre‑IB coursework — a hopeful pipeline for future diploma enrollment.
District staff said IB enrollment has declined since a post‑COVID peak and suggested that expanded dual-enrollment offerings, which are often easier logistically for students, have drawn potential candidates away from the diploma. Evaluators recommended targeted recruitment, outreach to students in world-language immersion and other relevant tracks, exploring synchronous online course-sharing with nearby IB schools, and pursuing external sponsorships to offset program costs for families who move to the area for internationally portable credentials.
Board members asked about program comparators in other districts and whether the College Center and IB should be seen as competing options. Staff said comparisons are appropriate but stressed that each program serves different student needs and outcomes; staff recommended coordinated recruitment and clearer communications for families describing the different advanced‑study pathways available in the district.
