Early College Program Set for West Port High School

Jan. 15, 2010

Central Florida Community College will partner with West Port High School to offer an Early College program beginning in February. While similar to the dual enrollment program offered through CFCC to qualified high school students in Marion, Citrus and Levy counties, this option allows the students to complete coursework required for an Associate in Arts degree at the West Port campus.

"CFCC is pleased to partner with West Port High School to offer Early College,” said Dr. Barbara Burrows, CFCC vice president of Instructional Affairs. “This program provides a tremendous opportunity for students to get a jump on their college education while remaining active in high school activities.”

CFCC and Marion County Public Schools currently partner for the Dual Enrollment program which allows high school students to earn college credit while attending classes at CFCC at no cost to their families. CFCC currently serves 567 Marion, Citrus and Levy students through dual enrollment.

"What makes the Early College program at West Port High School different from other dual enrollment programs is the advantage of taking college classes on the high school campus,” said West Port High School Principal Jayne Ellspermann. “Students can accelerate academically, earning college credit, while participating in the arts, athletics, and career preparation programs.”

David Ellers, executive director of Secondary Education for Marion County Public Schools, adds: “This is yet another way that we can offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum to our students that is second to none. We appreciate the time and effort that the staff at CFCC has put in to make this program happen.”

Students and their parents or guardians interested in the program should contact Ken McAteer, assistant principal for Curriculum and Early College coordinator at West Port High School, 352-291-4000. The program is open to Marion County high school students who have completed their sophomore year, have minimum test scores demonstrating readiness for college-level coursework, an unweighted minimum GPA of 3.0, and have been recommended by high school administration.

Minimum scores for ACT are 17 in English, 18 in Reading, 19 in Mathematics; minimum SAT scores are 440 Verbal/Critical Thinking and 440 in Mathematics; minimum CPT scores are 83 in Reading/Sentence and 72 in Algebra.

West Port High School, 3733 S.W. 80th Ave., Ocala, was designated as a CFCC off-campus instructional site in August 2009 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accrediting agency of CFCC.

Maintained by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations at Central Florida Community College. Contact Coordinator Lois Brauckmuller at 352-854-2322, ext. 1374, brauckml@cf.edu, Barbara Trebilcock, coordinator, trebilcb@cf.edu or Dr. Joe Wallace, director, wallacej@cf.edu.