A national accrediting agency says area high school students taking college classes through West Kentucky Community and Technical College are getting the same caliber of education they’d get on the college campus.
The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships endorsed the university's dual credit courses along with 10 other colleges today.
These programs allow high school students to take courses in conjunction with a university to earn both high school and college credits.
Dual Credit Director Lisa Stephenson says the Paducah campus is the first in the KCTC system to receive the accreditation.
“We felt like that our program has been a premier program for several years," Stephenson said.
"But, this validates what we're doing and it validates to students and parents that if they're taking a dual credit course, that the course is identical to the course that they would receive on our campus."
The year long process included evaluations of faculty, curriculum and assessments. Stephenson says over 1400 students are enrolled in the school's dual credit program. The other universities accredited are:
- University of Connecticut (CT)
- College of Southern Idaho (ID)
- Idaho State University (ID)
- Lewis and Clark Community College (IL)
- University of Minnesota Crookston (MN)
- Crowder College (MO)
- Pennsylvania Highlands Community College (PA)
- Weber State University (UT)
- Everett Community College (WA)
- University of Washington-Seattle (WA)
