Undecided.
That’s how Breannen Paishon said she felt her freshman and sophomore years of high school, unsure what she wanted to do post-graduation and thinking attending college was unattainable.
“For the two prior years in high school, I didn’t think I’d be able to pursue a college education because of my grades and academics,” the 17-year-old Waiakea High School senior said. “… My mom attended but never graduated. In my immediate family, I’d be the first to graduate.”
That’s since changed. Paishon not only is planning to enroll at Hawaii Community College next year, but when she graduates from Waiakea this spring, she said she’ll already have a slew of college credits under her belt.
Paishon is one of nearly 270 students islandwide enrolled in HCC’s Early College program. The program provides teens an opportunity to earn dual college/high school credit for courses taught at their high school. It’s one of two dual-credit programs offered through HCC. The other, Running Start, requires students to enroll in traditional courses on campus with other college students.
Proponents say Early College’s setup — it’s grant-funded and allows HCC instructors to come to high school campuses to teach — makes it more attainable for more students, particularly low-income and first-generation college students who might otherwise struggle to get to the community college campus or pay for classes.
A Hawaii P-20 report released last week shows the number of Hawaii Island students enrolling in college after graduating has increased. Some say that’s partly a result of the expansion of dual-credit programs. Research shows that Hawaii students who graduate high school with college credits enroll in college at higher rates than those who don’t.
About 81 percent of dual-credit earners in Hawaii enrolled in college in 2015, up from 53 percent among those without dual credit. And 76 percent of economically disadvantaged students who earned dual credit enrolled in college in 2015, compared with just 41 percent of those without.
“In the past, when we’ve just had Running Start, we’ve found transportation has been a barrier, so having our instructor go to them really removes that barrier and helps them take advantage of college courses while they’re in high school, said HCC adviser Glenn-Dee Kuwaye. “ … And on average, a lot of our students who’ve been part of this program in high school build their confidence and end up taking Running Start courses.”
Early College began in Hawaii in 2012. It’s now in place in more than 30 schools statewide. HCC launched its Early College program in the 2013-14 academic year and now offers courses at nine schools islandwide including Hilo, Waiakea, Keaau, Pahoa, Kealakehe, Kohala and Konawaena high schools.
The program has since proved popular — HCC says about 485 high school students on average earn college credit each year through its dual-credit offerings, up from about 142 when Running Start was the lone college-credit offering.
Paishon said Early College has given her a better idea of what college will entail and has helped it seem more attainable.
“We really go through all the motions of what college is,” she said. “It’s made me realize this is really important for what I want to do in my future and given me more opportunity than I ever thought.”
Waiakea High Early College student Joshua Fernandez, 16, who said his family is low-income, said the program has helped him “refocus” on his coursework and get a better sense of what he wants to do once he graduates.
“Without Early College I think I’d still be undecided (on college),” Fernandez said. “I don’t think I would have found what I want to do and it would have been difficult for me to try and create something of myself. Early College has made me realize I have to have deeper connections with people.”
HCC wants to expand the program and hopes to secure additional funding to help make the program sustainable long term.
Currently it’s funded entirely through grants.
Gov. David Ige submitted in his latest budget proposal $9 million for Early College programs. The appropriation would allot $3 million for fiscal year 2018 and $6 million the following year.
If a long-term funding source is secured, HCC hopes to see “every high school student (on Hawaii Island) graduate with at least six college credits,” Kuwaye said.
“That’s the biggest challenge,” she said. “If we can overcome that challenge, I can see it being around for a very long time.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
