From local classrooms to college credit: Mid Michigan College’s program gets national nod

Mid Michigan College was the first public institution in Michigan to receive NACEP Accreditation for their concurrent enrollment program seven years ago for the 2018-2019 school year. The program, which offers college courses taught by high school instructors at local high schools, was recently granted continued accreditation for the next seven years. 

The Accreditation Commission of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) is the only national accrediting body dedicated to concurrent enrollment partnerships, providing a trusted framework to ensure quality and consistency across programs. Its standards serve as a benchmark for achieving alignment in faculty qualifications, course content, student outcomes, and institutional support.

"Concurrent enrollment allows local high school students to experience college-level coursework in an environment where they are comfortable and with instructors they already know," shares Rick Smith, associate dean of off-campus & K-12 operations at Mid Michigan College.

Big Rapids High School, Cass City High School, Clare-Gladwin RESD, Clinton County RESA,  Farwell High School, Huron Intermediate School District, Lake City High School, Marlette High School, and Vassar High School are where local students across nine counties in central and northern Michigan have the opportunity to participate in the program.

“There are thousands of strong programs across the country,” said Amy Williams, NACEP executive director, “but only 136 have taken the bold step to open their policies and practices to a thorough, independent review. That speaks volumes about their commitment to quality. EVERY student deserves a quality experience in their dual enrollment program.”

To earn NACEP accreditation, Mid Michigan College conducted a self-study, documented how their programs adhere to NACEP’s sixteen standards, and underwent a rigorous peer-review process conducted by a team of representatives from NACEP accredited programs as well as the members of the NACEP Accreditation Commission.

The renewal reaffirms Mid Michigan College’s role as a leader in dual enrollment, ensuring local students have access to rigorous, college-level experiences close to home.

To learn more about the program, visit midmich.edu/dual.

Read more articles by Courtney Jerome.

With 15 years of professional media experience, Courtney Jerome has found a passion for storytelling and showcasing our region in a positive light. She's written stories for television broadcasts, numerous magazines, and digital publications. In addition, she owns a boutique creative marketing agency that focuses on social media, photo, and video storytelling for small businesses across Michigan and the country — courtneyjeromemedia.com. Contact Courtney, the managing editor of Epicenter, at editor@epicentermtpleasant.com.
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