Mansfield ISD announced its partnership with Tarrant County College to offer students up to 48 hours of college credit through the new iStart Collegiate Program for Accelerated Dual Credit. Participants have the opportunity to complete core curriculum courses required by colleges while still in high school. The program is set to begin in the 2014-15 school year.

“MISD and TCC have a very strong relationship in delivering quality education through our dual credit partnership,” Dr. Bill Coppola, President of TCC Southeast, said.

The initiative responds to the decision made by all state-funded colleges and universities to adopt a core curriculum of 42-48 semester credit hours. By implementing this, higher education institutions hope to create a solid foundation for students’ education and make transfers between institutions as easy as possible.

“Anytime you can get some college credits out of the way, it will mean huge money savings,” Academic Associate Principal Erin Frye said.

Students can begin the iStart Program the summer after their sophomore year, but must agree to the program for their junior and senior years. Participants earn nine dual credit hours per semester and have the option to earn up to 12 hours during summer sessions. The minimum credit commitment is 30 hours. To qualify, students must show capability of handling additional college-level hours and be approved by both their high school counselor and the college’s chief academic officer on an individual basis.

“The new program with MISD will allow students to apply through certain criteria and be approved in a cohort to take advantage of the extended hours,” Dr. Coppola said. “The goal would be for these selected students to receive the state’s 42-hour core curriculum.”

Students like sophomore Fiona Hoang see the program as a way to use their last two years of high school to the fullest. Hoang became interested in the iStart Program after hearing the benefits of earning dual-credit.

“This is such a great opportunity,” Hoang said. “If I had two years off of college and started college as a junior, that would be the most amazing thing ever.”

Through the iStart Program, students can get a taste of the rigor of college courses and develop the skills needed to succeed in college. Accumulating such a large amount of college credit during high school also provides the chance to graduate college within two years and receive a bachelor’s degree for $10,000.

“This is a wonderful way for students who feel they are prepared for the challenge [of] a more rigorous curriculum to better prepare themselves for future success at TCC and the university of their choice,” Dr. Coppola said.