In the 2020-2021 school year, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, through River City Academy (RCA), launched a middle college pilot program! The Kenai Peninsula Middle College School (KPMCS) is a partnership with Kenai Peninsula College (KPC) and creates a bridge between high school and college by providing eligible students the opportunity to exceed their high school academics through classes at KPC. Tuition, books and fees are paid by KPBSD and students receive both high school and college credit while working toward their Associate of Arts degree and meeting their high school graduation requirements. Through RCA, students benefit from the support of a collaborative learning environment, a cohort of middle college peers, and a structured mentoring program.
Now in its second year, 35 students enrolled for the fall semester in August 2021, and there is capacity for an additional 15 students to enroll in the second semester beginning in January 2022.
In the 2020-2021 pilot year, 21 students from River City Academy, Soldotna High School, Kenai Central High School, and Nikolaevsk School earned more than 200 college credits. One family said that middle college, “provides access to more advanced classes for high school students. Additionally, it serves as an introduction into the college framework with extra support both at the college and at a local school.”
Links
Learn more about the Kenai Peninsula Middle College School at https://kpbsd.org/schools/river-city-academy/kenai-peninsula-middle-college-school/