Thirty-One Earn Associate Degrees from Canton's Early College High School Second Graduating Class

Last Sunday, 31 young Cantonians marched proudly across the stage of the Memorial Civic Center with over 700 other graduates of Stark State College to receive their Associate Degrees.

Students at Canton City Schools Early College High School (CECHS), they will be joined next month in receiving their high school diplomas by another 31 students who have earned between 15 to 59 hours of college credit.
Established in 2005 by the Canton City Schools, Stark State College, the Canton Professional Educators Association and the Stark Education Partnership, CECHS gives low income, minority or first generation college-going youth the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and Associate Degree in four years.

Nationally, 10% of early college high school graduates earn two full years of college or an associate degree.[1] In Canton, 50% achieved that goal, with eight students graduating with distinction. While 85% of graduates across the nation earn at least one semester of transferable college credit, in Canton the number is 100%.

This year's class follows the successful inaugural class of 2009 when 32 students earned Associate Degrees and 28 graduated with substantial college credit. Data from that class further demonstrated that low performing 8th students could succeed in CECHS. The on-time high school graduation rate for all students, whether remaining a full four years in CECHS, or not, was 91%.