Early College High School (Costa Mesa, California)

Early college high schools in the United States allow students to receive a high school diploma and an associate degree, or up to two years of college credit, by taking a mixture of high school and college classes. The programs differ from dual enrollment, by the intentional supports provided to students. These supports help students to prepare to take dual credit classes while in high school and be ready for the rigorous college work after they graduate from high school. Different from dual enrollment, early colleges also provide pathways leading to some post-secondary credential (such as an associate degree or technical certificate) or transferable college credit. There are different models of early college programs. Some early colleges are stand-alone small schools (whole school model), often located on a college campus, where all students are expected to participate in the program. Other early colleges are programs within comprehensive schools that enroll interested students.