Posted by Communications Staff on 3/28/2022
Students looking to get a head start on college credits have plenty of options at SPS high schools.
Advanced Placement (AP) allows students to take college-level courses, and if they score well enough on an end-of-year test, they can gain college credit. Students in the Running Start program take college courses at Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, or Eastern Washington University (EWU), and can earn their associate degree by the time they graduate high school.
But another option is relatively new: College in the High School, which brings courses offered at local colleges and universities to the high school classroom. These courses are taught by high school teachers with oversight by college faculty and staff. Whereas students in AP classes only earn college credit based on an end-of-year AP test, students in the College in the High School courses give students college credit based on their performance in class, which is largely determined by their grades on the unit tests and the final exam.
One such course is Aubrey Smith’s Math 107 at Shadle Park High School. Smith started teaching Math 107 in 2018 and enjoys how the course is embedded with real-life applications. Smith’s class learn topics like logic, probability, statistics, and finance—subjects used in all walks of life.
“Students become truly engaged in the material when they can see how applicable the math can be to their everyday lives,” she said. “Our class conversations are valuable. Since the students enjoy learning, they dive deeper into our material and ask profound and connecting questions.”
College in the High School students can earn both high school and college credit. Smith’s particular class is designed for students pursuing post-secondary education that doesn’t involve math.
“In theory, if a student earns high school and college credit simultaneously, this is the last math class that they would ever need to take,” she said. “But even if a student does not view themselves as a mathematician, this class often hooks student interest and sometimes changes their career paths to something more math focused.”
Smith’s course is overseen by professors at EWU, and it is truly a partnership.
“I really enjoy working with the professors from EWU,” Smith said. “We share pedagogical methods and really strive to improve student learning.”
College in High School is available in the five comprehensive SPS high schools and courses are mostly taken by juniors and seniors. Contact your local high school for specific information.
