Meeting of the Board of Regents | September 2009

TO:                                                 The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

                                                        Acting in their Capacity as Trustees of The University of the

State of New York

FROM:                                         Theresa E. Savo, Fiscal Agent  

SUBJECT:                             Acceptance of a $6,000,000 four-year grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the creation of approximately 11 Smart Scholars Early College High Schools throughout the State of New York

DATE:                                      August 28, 2009

STRATEGIC GOAL:             Goal 5

AUTHORIZATION(S):          

Executive Summary

Issue for Decision

              Approval of a $6,000,000 four-year grant to The University of the State of New York.

Reason(s) for Consideration

The Smart Scholars Early College High School (ECHS) program will help students who have traditionally had low rates of college enrollment and completion. The program will create early college high schools that will give students the opportunity to accelerate the completion of their high school studies while earning college credits at the same time. Students will receive additional academic support from school/college partnerships to ensure they are at grade level and ready to participate in rigorous collegiate courses. This "dual enrollment" program will therefore serve to increase high school graduation and college completion rates among those historically left in the gap, while reducing student tuition costs as a result of the compressed time needed to complete a college degree.

The Smart Scholars program will target grants to partnerships of New York State colleges and universities and public schools (especially those serving students in high needs schools), charter schools, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

Proposed Handling

              Decision

Recommendation

              That the Board of Regents accepts the sum of $6,000,000 from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to implement the Smart Scholars network of early college high schools.