From left, Jennifer Miller, Lauren Denn and Keaton Evans do classwork for their dual enrollment course in the Bledsoe County High library on Friday. Chattanooga State Community College, in a joint effort with Beldsoe and Squatchie schools, is looking to add some technical programs for high school students in the school systems’ dual enrollment and early college programs.College-bound high school students in Bledsoe and Sequatchie counties could gain an expanded dual-enrollment and early college program aimed at technical careers through Chattanooga State Community College in coming years.
The counties’ high schools already have “dual credit” and “dual enrollment,” or “early college,” courses available through the Chattanooga State campus in Bledsoe County, but officials in both counties are working to add a path toward engineering.
The two systems are just getting started on proposed programs of study that dovetail into Chattanooga State’s curriculum while still fitting into the high school curriculum, officials said.
“Each system has to apply through the state board of education to get a program of study approved,” said Robert Denn, Chattanooga State’s dean of school relations and university articulation in the academic affairs division. “That’s a long process” that could take months or years to complete.
“A lot of it’s speculation, but it is one of those things we’re really looking forward to,” Bledsoe County career technology education director Steve Reel said.