HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
PUBLIC HEARING
SELECT SUB COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND CAREER READINESS
Thursday, May 28, 2015
9:30 a.m.
Reading Area Community College
Delaware County Community College serves both Delaware and Chester Counties.
Delaware County Community College (DCCC) enrolls 18,000 students in 70 degrees and certificates and 10,000 in non-credit and workforce development training. With its main campus in Marple Township, Delaware County Community College also has locations in Upper Darby, Sharon Hill, Downingtown, Exton, Phoenixville, Jennersville, and West Chester.
Unique to Delaware County Community College is its partnerships with the Chester County Intermediate Unit.
The partnership dates back to the early 90s when the College assumed the management and delivery of all of the adult education programs offered by both the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) and the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU). Through competency based training and a credit for prior learning (CPL) framework, we were able to develop career pathways that led adults from certification training to college credit to degree completion. DCCC chose to cooperate rather than compete.
In 2008, The College and the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) partnered to build the Technical College High School (TCHS) in Jennersville, Chester County. This campus was specifically designed for partnership. The facility foot print increased 150% to accommodate the concept of a Technical College High School.
Seven years later, the College is now a partner in three Technical College High Schools. Brandywine focuses on culinary and Phoenixville on manufacturing.
The benefits of the TCHS model are multilayered. The largest benefit by far, is the ability for the CCIU and the College to develop career pathways for students. For example, the Early Childhood Education Academy started in 2011and to date has had about 200students enrolled. Students begin taking courses in their junior year of high school and are awarded credits towards a degree at Delaware County Community College. High school students apply to be dually enrolled in the designated college courses or program clusters while completing their high school requirements. These dually-enrolled students can earn both high school and college credit and be able to graduate from high school with as many as 16 credits of college-level work. At the conclusion of the 2014 – 2015 Academic year, a total of 244 high school students enrolled in college courses and earned a total of 1,080 credits.
Beginning in September 2015, an Early College model is being implemented in both Delaware County and Chester County. The William Penn School District will send 20 juniors to our Upper Darby Center. Students will take college-level courses in Electronics, Industrial Systems, PLC, Technical Math, and Troubleshooting. In total, students will take eight courses over two years and earn 30 credits. Upon graduation from their high school, students will continue at Delaware County Community College and in two semesters they will be eligible to graduate with an Associate’s in Applied Science in Advanced Technology. While in high school students pay the dual enrollment rate of $40 per credit and no fees.
Resources to develop, implement, and manage these pathways and partnerships are critical because “work” has changed and fewer and fewer jobs are available without post-secondary education and training. Pathways give students options. With “some” college and structured experiential learning, students can get jobs in entry level positions, work and pay for further schooling and/or utilize employer tuition benefits instead of student loans. These partnerships have multiple entry and exit points based on the student. Flexibility and relevant education and training partnerships are what is needed.
Karen P. Kozachyn, Ed.D
Dean, Workforce Development and Community Education