Every Cleveland Metropolitan School District graduating senior will automatically be admitted to attend Cuyahoga Community College if that's where they want to go, officials with both the district and Tri-C announced Monday.
Dozens of CMSD seniors were brought to Tri-C to learn more about the college and the new policy. They also signed declarations of "intent" saying they plan to attend Tri-C.
Some Cleveland high school students like John Hay High School Senior Treonny Scott already take college-level courses at Tri-C. She said she’ll likely to continue her education at Tri-C, which the new policy change will help with.
"I think it's really nice to not have to go through so many hurdles because I'm already enrolled," Scott said. "I already have credits already, and I'm already here."
Colleges and universities typically have application fees and a selection process that takes weeks, if not months.
Angela Johnson, vice president of enrollment management at Tri-C, explained Monday how the new agreement between the school district and Tri-C works.
"Every single senior who graduates will be accepted to Tri-C," she said. "We did a data sharing agreement with the district, and we're able to get information about the students to help them to ease the admission process so they will all be accepted. There's a couple of things that they'll provide for us to finish their admission process, but all the students will be accepted."
Michael Baston, president of Tri-C, said the school district and community college are trying to work together to better prepare students for future careers.
"This city is going to be run by this generation of people at a certain point," Baston said. "Don't we want them to be prepared? Don't we want them to be ready? Don't we want them to be in a position where they can actually step into the positions of leadership and lead? Well, this is a major step in that direction."
The new partnership is meant to encourage students to feel at home in a higher education setting, said Anna Turner, deputy chief of teaching and learning.
"Please know that when you're doing this tour and you are walking around and finding the classes and seeing what your niche is and what excites you, remember that this is where you are automatically admitted as well," she told students Monday. "If you make other decisions, whatever those decisions are for you... Remember, this is home. You can always come back here. CMSD is your home. Cleveland is your home."
Colleges and universities across the country have struggled with enrollment over the last decade and a half, as the number of graduating high school seniors continues to shrink due to declining birth rates and Americans continue to be concerned with the cost of higher education. Cleveland Metropolitan School District students who graduate were already able to attend dozens of colleges and universities across the state tuition-free, including Tri-C, thanks to the Say Yes Cleveland scholarship program.
