EUGENE, OR - At the Feb. 6 Lane Community College Board of Education Meeting, President Mary Spilde announced a partnership opportunity with Eugene School District 4J to help 200 high school students successfully transition to college by co-locating the Early College and Career Options program on the Lane main campus.
ECCO serves high school aged students who need a different educational environment than that provided in a typical high school. The program enrolls nearly 200 students who are working toward their high school diploma. ECCO currently is located in the former Parker Elementary School Building in South Eugene.
Co-locating the program at Lane would acquaint students with college life while they earn their high school diplomas, and help them transition seamlessly into college. Similar models show that being on a college campus significantly improves students' chances to go college, be successful in college, and graduate from college.
The partnership would support Lane's mission to make college more accessible, help meet enrollment goals, and improve completion rates.
4J students would have access to campus resources, including easy bus transportation, on-campus childcare for parenting students, and early introduction to career-technical programs.
Spilde said this could set a gold standard for the seamless transition to college and career preparation called for in Oregon's 40-40-20 plan.
Now is an opportune time in the long range planning of both institutions. Lane is planning the last of its 2008 bond projects and 4J has funds available from its 2011 bond measure.
The two institutions will be exploring how a partnership might work. This could become a model for additional school districts in the area.
Lane is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Visit online at www.lanecc.edu or www.twitter.com/lanenews or www.facebook.com/lanecommunitycollege
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Media contacts:
Joan Aschim, LCC PIO, aschimj@lanecc.edu or (541) 463-5591
Barb Bellamy, Eugene School District 4J Chief of Staff/Communications Director, (541) 790-7735