A new college preparatory program for Hamilton County students is in the works, and it could be offered through the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in fall 2023.
If approved by the Hamilton County Schools Board of Education on Thursday, the two-year program, called University High, will serve 50 juniors on UTC's campus in its first year, with the goal of supporting 100-150 juniors and seniors long-term.
UTC and Hamilton County Schools declined to answer any questions about the program until it is reviewed by the board Thursday.
According to board agenda documents, the program would target students most in need of college access and was specifically designed as a partnership between the university and Hamilton County Schools. It is not yet known if students would receive college credit.
"Via the collaboration between Hamilton County Schools and UTC, University High puts equity into action by equipping students with a deep understanding of how to learn and think critically," the document said. "Comprehensive literacy supports students' learning about themselves, their studies and the world around them."
Those enrolled in the program would fully benefit from the university's student support services and engagement opportunities such as University Health Services, the Center for Career and Leadership Development, on-campus events and the Aquatic and Recreation Center.
Students would also be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at their zoned high school if they choose.
Each semester, students would take college-level courses taught by university faculty that would be reinforced by counterpart high school-level classes taught by Hamilton County schoolteachers, according to board meeting materials.
According to those materials, every day would begin with an Aces Lab, which takes its name from advisory, college prep, experiential learning and support.
The program would also provide internship opportunities as well as on-campus experiences to show students pathways to post-secondary education, according to board meeting materials.
And at a time when post-secondary enrollment in Tennessee has fallen to 52% -- a 9 percentage point decrease since the onset of the pandemic -- officials say exposure to opportunities after high school is essential.
In Hamilton County, that rate is slightly higher, around 54%.
University High would come at little to no cost to students and their families. More information will be released in the coming months, university officials said in an email.
Contact Carmen Nesbitt at cnesbitt@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @carmen_nesbitt.