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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 12, 2011
For More Information Contact:

JP O'Hare

(518) 474-1201

Press@nysed.gov

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Governor Cuomo And Commissioner Steiner Announce $6 Million In Grants For "Smart Scholars" Early College High School Programs

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Education Commissioner David M. Steiner today announced the award of $5.5 million in grants to fund 16 Smart Scholars Early College High School (ECHS) projects.听 Previously eleven Smart Scholars ECHS partnerships were initiated in December 2009 with private funding, in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.听 In addition to the program grants, $500,000 was funded to provide technical assistance for all 27 ECHS projects.

The Smart Scholars ECHS program creates early college high schools that give students the opportunity to accelerate the completion of high school studies while earning college credits at the same time. Students receive additional academic support from school/college partnerships to ensure they are at grade level and ready to participate in rigorous collegiate courses. This "dual enrollment" program serves to increase high school graduation and college completion rates among those historically left in the gap, while reducing college tuition costs as a result of the college credits earned in high school.

"Smart Scholars allows New York high school students to receive college credit, finish their degrees faster, and do it at a significantly reduced cost," Governor Cuomo said. "I commend my partners in government for working together and delivering a program that is beneficial to so many young New Yorkers."

Commissioner Steiner said, "Smart Scholars is an important step towards ensuring that students who historically have not had access to or success in college can be ready for higher education and complete their schooling at an affordable cost. Allowing students to complete the high school-college continuum in less time will save money and improve their chances for success in both high school and college, a key element in the Regents Reform Agenda.听 The program succeeds because it utilizes the vast resources that USNY 鈥 the University of the State of New York 鈥 has to offer by linking schools and BOCES with New York鈥檚 colleges and universities.听 We are grateful to Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature for supporting this innovative engagement of high school students through college coursework."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, "Smart Scholars is an innovative program that addresses a number of important issues, including increasing high school and college graduation rates 鈥 particularly among high need students, creating more opportunities for career-track employment, reducing student tuition costs due to less time needed to complete a college degree, and ultimately lessening State costs. Providing a State match for a second cohort of the Smart Scholars Program was a priority for the Assembly majority in this year's budget. It is crucial that we continue to support strategies to close the achievement gap and provide new opportunities for academic success."

Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said, "Smart Scholars will reach students in need of help bridging the gaps that they may face in their pursuit of a college education. The Senate was pleased to support this program in the 2011-12 budget and I congratulate today鈥檚 grant recipients as they continue to partner together on innovative programs that will enable more children to graduate and go on to college."

Senator John Flanagan, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, said, "We must continue to target student populations who traditionally attend college at disproportionately low rates, find ways to bridge the performance gap and increase graduation rates. The academic support provided by the Smart Scholars program will be an effective way of preparing students leading up to, and after graduation, so that they can be successful in achieving their higher education goals."

"Smart Scholars program will allow students the opportunity to expand on their education while still in high school,鈥 said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee. 鈥淧rograms such as this one give schools the funding they need to increase their graduation rates and prepare their students for their future."

Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Chair of the Assembly 快猫成版视频 Committee, said, "The smart scholars program offers youngsters the opportunity to obtain college credits while still in high school. It not only provides essential support for the听higher education aspirations of young people, but at a time when college costs are exploding, it reduces that substantial burden. I hope many youngsters around the state will have the chance to participate."

"Smart Scholars is a winning combination for students and our state. The program will increase high school and college graduation rates and create more job opportunities while reducing student tuition costs because of compressed time to complete a college degree," New York State Senator and Chair of the Senate鈥檚 快猫成版视频 Committee Kenneth P. LaValle said.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said, "Smart Scholars Early College High Schools are making college a reality for students who otherwise would be at risk of dropping out. By giving high school students an opportunity to earn college credit, we give them a better chance for success in higher education. SUNY is a proud partner in this initiative with Governor Cuomo, Commissioner Steiner, and all of the school officials whose commitment to strengthening the education pipeline in New York is evident in their continued development of Early College High Schools throughout the state."

The ECHS program addresses disparities in high school graduation rates between groups of students. For example, Black students in the cohort of students who began ninth grade in 2004 graduated at a rate 28 points lower (54%) than white students (82%). Likewise, the gap between Hispanic (52%) and white students for the 2004 cohort was 30 points.

The following schools and their partners were selected through a competitive process:

SMART SCHOLARS EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS - GROUP 2
AWARDED MAY 2011

LEAD APPLICANT

FINAL
AWARD

PARTNERS

Syracuse City School District (William H. Nottingham HS)

$266,303
Onondaga Community College, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry at Syracuse
SUNY at Farmingdale State College
$450,000
Amityville HS, Brentwood HS, Hempstead HS, Wyandanch Memorial HS, NYC DOE STH
Schoharie City School District
$199,999
SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill-Richmondville CSD, Middleburgh CSD, Capital Region BOCES

Pathways College Preparatory School (NYC DOE)

$450,000
St. Johns University, Adelphi University
CUNY - New York City College of Technology
$450,000
Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYC DOE), IBM
CUNY- Medgar Evers College
$450,000
Medgar Evers College Prep School (NYC DOE)
Long Island University
$405,864

Boys and Girls High School (NYC DOE)

SUNY College of Technology at Canton
$200,000
Massena Central School District, Ogdensburg City School District,
St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES
North Country Community College
$200,000
Lake Placid Central School District, Saranac Lake CSD, Tupper Lake CSD

Yonkers City School District
(Charles E. Gorton HS)

$450,000
Westchester Community College, College of Westchester
Niagara Falls City School District
$372,826
Niagara University
Ballston Spa School District
$167,394
Hudson Valley Community College
Schenectady County Community College
$319,565
Schenectady City School District
Rochester City School District
$372,826
Monroe Community College,
St. John Fisher College
SUNY College at Old Westbury
$295,223
Roosevelt Union Free School District
CUNY - New York City College of Technology
$450,000
City Polytechnic High School of Engineering (NYC DOE)

SMART SCHOLARS EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS - GROUP 1
AWARDED DECEMBER 2009

LEAD APPLICANT

FINAL
AWARD

PARTNERS

Yonkers City School District
(Roosevelt HS "Collegiate Academy")

$447,500
Westchester Community College
City School District of Albany
$447,500
Hudson Valley Community College, University at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester City School District
$447,500

Monroe Community College,
St. John Fisher College

SUNY 鈥 College of Old Westbury
$476,242
Roosevelt Union Free School District
Buffalo City School District (Middle Early College High School)
$447,500
Erie Community College, D鈥橸ouville College
New York City College of Technology
$447,471
City Polytechnic High School of Engineering (NYC DOE)
Freeport Central School District
$488,182
Long Island University, CW Post Campus
Greater Amsterdam Central School District
$447,500
Fulton-Montgomery Community College
Bard College
$443,421
Bard High School Early College 鈥 Manhattan and Queens

Syracuse City School District
(Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central High School)

$447,500
Onondaga Community College, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry at Syracuse
Schenectady County Community College
$447,500

Schenectady City School District