Initiatives to Reduce Financial Barriers for High School Students for Dual Enrollment and Career & Technical Education Programs

CCC Tech Campus Building with Campus Logo

Coffeyville Community College (CCC) is excited to unveil a zero-cost opportunity for high school students in the institution's service district. This unique chance allows them to earn college credit, a privilege that is part of CCC's commitment to providing affordable, quality education and training to our community. High school students residing in the Coffeyville Community College service district can begin their college careers in the upcoming year at no cost. Families interested in these opportunities are encouraged to contact their high school guidance counselor or the Student Success Center (SSC) on the CCC campus.

 Along with zero-cost college education for dual enrollment at CCC for in-district students, another new initiative will start this Fall for Career and Technical Education for all high school students attending one of our technical education programs, regardless of their high school location. Currently, the Senate Bill 155 (SB155) Excel in Career and Technical Education (CTE) initiative, offered by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), offers tuition-free technical education programs to high school students, but until now, students were tasked with covering program fees associated with their particular technical program, which varied program-to-program anywhere from $0-$486.00.

 The CCC Foundation has graciously offered to cover all high school students' technical program fees. This initiative ensures that students can pursue valuable technical skills and education without financial barriers. Students may attend a CTE program as a high school Junior or Senior, and in most cases, can complete their respective program while in high school, leading to being work-ready upon graduation. Being able to graduate from both high school and college is an amazing opportunity for all students. Students will need to complete a High School Technical Fee Scholarship Form (obtained from the high school counselor), which outlines the qualifying criteria, to include being a Kansas resident, attending a Kansas high school, and maintaining a minimum 2.0 GPA throughout their program of choice. This scholarship can be used each fall, spring, and summer semesters.

In an effort to accommodate more students for in-demand programs, we have brought on additional faculty to help provide these opportunities for more high school students. Vice President for Career and Technical Education, Heather Pollet, is proud to announce the expansion of the Automotive Service and Welding Technology programs in Coffeyville, to provide additional opportunities to area high school students. These expansions offer the spacing needed to accommodate more students offering state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and resources to support their educational and career aspirations. Vice President for Career and Technical Education, Heather Pollet, stated, "CCC is dedicated to supporting our students' educational journeys and career ambitions. By removing financial barriers and expanding our Technical Programs, we are investing in the future of our students and community."

 Programs currently available in Coffeyville to high students include Automotive Service Technology, Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Construction Technology, Fire Science, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Phlebotomy, Precision Machining Technology, and Welding Technology (some age restrictions do apply to some programs). 

 For more information about the dual enrollment opportunity, please contact Melissa Tunstall in the Student Success Center at [email protected]. For more information regarding technical education programs, please contact Dora Morris at the Coffeyville Technical Campus at [email protected]. As always, students are encouraged to speak to their high school guidance counselor regarding enrollment at Coffeyville Community College.