Franklin County Early College

Vision: The Early College program at FCHS will prepare students through rigorous curriculum for meaningful careers by utilizing their potential to become valuable assets to society.

Mission: Franklin County Early College High School will provide opportunities and supports for students to earn college credentials through focused pathways.

Read our Early College Endorsement Press Release - March 2023

What is Early College?

The Early College program at FCHS aims to increase the number of students that attend and succeed in college by removing academic, financial, and psychological barriers that may prevent them from attending college or post-secondary education otherwise. Students in the Early College program take a mixture of high school and dual credit courses in order to earn the Indiana College Core (ICC) Certificate. The Indiana College Core is a block of 30 college credit hours that ALL public colleges and universities in Indiana must accept! What does all this mean? In a nutshell, your student can complete their first year of college during their time at FCHS- at little to no cost!!! Students can also go a step further and earn an Associate Degree in General Studies upon graduation from FCHS. There are a few courses that students need to take on their own through Ivy Tech in order to earn the Associate Degree.

Students in the Early College program will receive extra student supports to ensure their success in the program, including but not limited to:

Early College IMPACT teacher/advisor and focused IMPACT curriculum
Individual meetings with Early College counselors
Tutoring and online prep classes
Testing opportunities (PSAT, ASVAB, SAT School Day) and fee assistance
College Admissions Representatives Visits @ FCHS
College Campus Visits
Participation in Ivy Tech Batesville graduation ceremony upon completion of STGEC

Who Should Apply?

ALL 8th graders are invited to apply to Franklin County Early College!

Early College Students...

Are organized and conscientious about schoolwork
Want to attend college or post-secondary education after high school
Pass all of their classes each semester
Maintain excellent attendance
Have few to no discipline issues
Are motivated to succeed!

How Do I Apply?

To apply for the Early College program, 8th graders must complete the Early College Application and Contract. Students will receive a copy of the application during scheduling meetings for the upcoming school year. You can also find the application on the FCHS Website under “Student Services.” When these forms are complete, you can return them to your Middle School counselor. You will be notified about acceptance in March or April.

(21st Century Scholars, students on Free/Reduced lunch, and first-generation college students will be given priority when considering program acceptance.)

Cost and Affordability

Ivy Tech classes taken at FCHS as dual credit courses have NO COST!

IU English courses have a course materials fee of $75 per course (fee waived for students on Free/Reduced lunch)

Chinese courses through Butler have a cost of $65/credit hour

Cost Savings Analysis

Total Cost to earn STGEC (equivalent to 1 year of college) : $150

Average Cost for 1 Year of College in Indiana: $8,176

Indiana University: $235/credit hour, $7,050 total for 30 credit hours Early College saves $6,900

Purdue University: $347/credit hour, $10,410 total for 30 credit hours Early College saves $10,260

Ball State University: $308/credit hour, $9270 total for 30 credit hours Early College saves $9,090

Dual Credit / AP Course Offerings

AP Courses Only (5):

Chemistry
English Literature and Composition*
Psychology*
Microeconomics*
World History*

* Students MUST take and pass the AP Exam to earn college credit for these courses

Dual Credit (32):

ACP Speech & Comp - IU S121
ADV English – IU ENG W131
AG Power – Ivy Tech AGRI106
ALS Animals – AGRl107
Agribusiness Management – Ivy Tech AGRI102
Anatomy & Physiology- Ivy Tech APHY101 & 102
Animal Science – Ivy Tech AGRI103
AP Biology – Ivy Tech BIOL105
AP Calculus – Ivy Tech MAT211
AP US Government – Ivy Tech POLS101
AP US History – Ivy Tech HIST101 and HIST102
Biology II – Ivy Tech BIOL101
Business Management – Ivy Tech BUSN101
Chemistry II – Ivy Tech CHEM101
Chinese III – Butler CN204
Chinese IV – Butler CN305
Creative Writing – Ivy Tech ENG 202
Digital Apps & Responsibilities II – Ivy Tech CINS101
Digital Electronics – EECT112
Finite Mathematics- Ivy Tech MAT135
Horticulture Science- Ivy Tech AGRI116
Intro to Adv Man/Logic – Ivy Tech MPRO100
Intro to Computer Science- Ivy Tech SDEV120
Intro To Engineering & Design – Ivy Tech DESN101
Landscape Management- IvyTech AGRI164
Plant & Soil Science- Ivy Tech AGRI105
Pre-Calculus – Ivy Tech MAT136
Principles of Engineering- Ivy Tech DESN104
Principles of Marketing – Ivy Tech MKTG101
Spanish III – Ivy Tech SPAN101 & SPAN102
Spanish IV – Ivy Tech SPAN201 & SPAN202
Quantitative Reasoning - Ivy Tech MAT123
Trigonometry – Ivy Tech MAT137

Core Principles of Early College

Targeted Student Population: Underserved students such as first-generation or low income.
Curriculum & Plan of Study: From college-preparedness to career-ready.
College-Going Culture: An environment that builds the expectation of post-secondary attainment.
Rigorous Instruction: Challenging coursework and high expectations in every class.
Supports for Student Success: Academic, social, and emotional supports.
Collaboration & Partnerships: Higher education partners (Ivy Tech, IU, and Butler), families, community, and industry partnerships.
Leadership & Staffing: Defined roles and responsibilities of students, teachers, and leaders.
Data Collection, Analysis, and Use: Continual assessment and improvement of the program.

Resources and Contacts

Helpful Web Sites:

Apply to FC Early College
CELL Web Page (Early College Programs in Indiana)
Franklin County High School Office of Student Services
Indiana College Core Resources
Ivy Tech Dual Credit Resources
IU ACP Courses Resources

Early College School Leadership Team Contact Information:

Mr. Zach Frank - School Counselor zfrank@fccsc.k12.in.us
Ms. Michelle South - Principal msouth@fccsc.k12.in.us
Mr. Adam Hofer- Early College Teacher ahofer@fccsc.k12.in.us
Mrs. Katie Schneider- Early College Teacher kschneider@fccsc.k12.in.us
Mrs. Sharon Volk- Early College Teacher svolk@fccsc.k12.in.us
Mr. Michael Kristoff- Early College Teacher mkristoff@fccsc.k12.in.us
Mrs. Samantha Hardebeck- College Partner @ Ivy Tech Batesville shardebeck3@ivytech.edu