MAYOR ANNOUNCES ‘ONE STEP AHEAD’ SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Fund to help Metro high school students cover cost of dual enrollment in college courses
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 1, 2009) -
Mayor Karl Dean joined Alignment Nashville and Nashville State Community College today in announcing the creation of the One Step Ahead scholarship fund to help students in Metro Nashville Public Schools cover the cost of taking college courses while still in high school through a program called dual enrollment.
Students can pay for dual enrollment classes through a grant available from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, funded by the Tennessee Lottery. Dean developed the One Step Ahead fund to the cover the gap between the dual enrollment grant and the actual cost of community college tuition, a difference of about $80 per class.
“For some of our students, especially our students most at risk, $80 is an impossible barrier,” Dean said. “We are opening the door so that any high school student in Nashville who wants to participate in dual enrollment can do so without the cost of tuition standing in their way. This will greatly increase the number of students that can take dual enrollment classes – which we know encourages them to stay in school, succeed and go on to attend college after high school.”
The One Step Ahead fund has been established through the Nashville State Community College Foundation with additional private donations from United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and the Ingram Charitable Fund.
“Nashville State is excited about this partnership with the city of Nashville. Our combined efforts will encourage more Tennesseans to complete high school and consider attending college. Unlike many other dual enrollment programs, the new initiative will reach all segments of the high school population,” said Dr. George VanAllen, president of Nashville State Community College.
Dean also announced he has set a goal for One Step Ahead to help expand dual enrollment classes to the Career Academies in Nashville’s high schools, working in collaboration with MNPS and community partners, including the PENCIL Foundation and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Dual enrollment is an incredibly powerful tool,” said MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Jesse Register. “Just this year we had a young lady graduate from MNPS Middle College High School with enough college credits to also earn an Associate’s Degree from Nashville State. Her accomplishment epitomizes the power of dual enrollment, and we are so excited that more students will now have similar opportunities.”
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov