San Jose middle schoolers to take college classes, get credits through new program

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A group of eighth-grade students in East San Jose will be taking college classes this summer.

On Tuesday, Alum Rock Union School District announced a new dual enrollment partnership with San Jose-Evergreen Community College District.

Superintendent German Cerda is a former middle and high school principal.

"Well, you know, this is happening in more affluent areas, districts," Cerda said. "Why shouldn't our kids?"

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Cerda said if they're going to be focused on equity, it's important students at Alum Rock are getting all the support and resources they need.

"It builds their confidence, because everybody thinks it's hard, right, it's tough," he said. "It's not doable until you actually do it and you're like- 'well it's not that bad.'"

Cerda also says these college-level classes will not be watered down.

Two classes will be offered for free. One will be an engineering course at San Jose City Community College with transportation and meals provided.

The other will be a career learning course provided at Joseph George Middle School.

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"I was an underrepresented student when I was in college," Cerda said. "I'm Hispanic, Latino, and I didn't have these opportunities until I got to high school. And when I took that college course in high school I was like, 'this isn't that bad.'"

Chancellor Beatriz Chaidez said they already started a similar cohort at Mount Pleasant Elementary School District which has shown success.

"One, it's very practical because the research supports that students have dual concurrent experience are more likely to maintain enrollment, and a achieve a bachelor's degree," Chaidez said.

Students will be able to obtain three transferable UC or CSU college credits by participating.

"My ultimate goal, to be quite frank, is for high school students to complete two years of college upon high school graduation," Chaidez said.

Classes begin June 16 and 19 and they hope to keep it going through the school year.

"It's exciting especially here in Alum Rock, it's great for our kids it's great for our community, and so we're going to show you that it works," Cerda said.