In North Carolina, 40% of ninth graders do not graduate from high school, and less than 29% graduate from a university.  A variety of solutions are being explored, and one of these is the Early College High School.  Early College High Schools are small, autonomous schools where students complete all high school requirements and up to 60 hours of college credit during their four years of high school.  Early College High Schools make higher education more accessible, affordable, and attractive by bridging the divide between high school and college; eliminate time wasted during the junior and senior years of high school and facilitate the transition of motivated students to higher education; provide intensive guidance and support from adults through the start of college coursework; and demonstrate new ways of integrating levels of schooling to better serve the intellectual and developmental needs of young people.

For more information on the North Carolina Learn & Earn Early College Program, visit the North Carolina New Schools Project website: http://www.newschoolsproject.org/