Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Concurrent Enrollment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lawton Public Schools pays tuition and books for students in concurrent-enrollment program
Summary
Lawton Public Schools funds tuition and books for students enrolled through Cameron University or Oklahoma State University at Oklahoma City via the Life Ready Center, allowing students to earn college credits (about 65 concurrent hours reported) and, in some cases, an associate degree before high-school graduation.
A Lawton Public Schools staff member said the district covers "all tuition fees and books as long as students attend Cameron University or Oklahoma State University at Oklahoma City through their virtual program," describing a district-funded concurrent-enrollment option available to high-school students.
The program is offered at the Life Ready Center, where the staff member said the district requires sophomores who begin college classes to take them on-site so they can use the library and campus supports. "The library is a great asset for our concurrent students," the staff member said, and the district also arranges a visiting Cameron University professor who holds office hours two days a week and on-site tutors for math and English on Fridays.
Students described how the program reduces logistical and financial barriers. "I'm in tenth grade and I'm taking 3 courses right now. I'm taking English comp 2, I'm taking psychology, and I'm taking US history since 1865," said a tenth-grade student, who added that attending classes at the Life Ready Center is more convenient than traveling among multiple campuses. Another student said the program allowed them to take most general-education classes across sophomore and early junior year and helped them form study groups and friendships with college peers.
One student said they are "actually getting my associates this May in business" and intend to pursue a bachelor's in accounting, while the staff member reported that including four students who graduated last year, the district expects three more graduates this year, for seven students who will confer associate degrees and roughly 65 hours of concurrent enrollment paid by Lawton Public Schools.
Students and staff emphasized the programas a way to reduce family expenses and accelerate postsecondary progress: "This thing being free, oh, I love it so much. Oh, it's opened up a lot of doors for me and especially helped out my mom a lot because she don't have to worry about paying for college," one student said.
No formal vote or policy change was recorded in the transcript; the discussion described program operation, enrollment patterns and student experiences. The program continues to run at the Life Ready Center with the supports and participation described by staff and students.
