MUSD/SJCC Dual Enrollment Program garners prestigious Hoffman Award

When the Milpitas Unified School District / San Jose City College Dual Enrollment Program was still in its infancy, educators from both institutions sought out input from existing programs to find out what made them successful.

“The top takeaway was that we are not involved to serve the interests of our district, but instead to serve the interests of the other district,” said director Michael Mooney. “If the two organizations come together with that in mind, they can do magic for the students, and that’s what we did here.”

The MUSD/SJCC Dual Enrollment Program was recently selected as one of only five recipients of the Glenn Hoffmann Exemplary Program Awards, given by the Santa Clara County School Boards Association (SCCSBA).

“On behalf of SCCSBA, once again, congratulations on an outstanding program that exemplifies putting students first and excellence in education,” wrote Hoffmann Exemplary Awards Committee Chair Isabel Jubes- Flamerich in the award notification letter. The Hoffman Awards Dinner is on Wednesday, May 10, from 6-9 pm at the Metropolitan Education District.

“It shows the outcomes of what can happen when we have a shared vision and we have such excellent, collaborative partners like SJCC to really allow us to maximize our supports and to offer the best pathways available to our students,” said coordinator Karisa Scott. “This award validates all the collaborative, hard work that we’ve done.”

What started with a cohort of 30 students in year 1 has grown to approximately 150 juniors and seniors in only its third year. When a dual enrollment student graduates from high school, they not only earn a high school diploma but also have the beginnings of a college transcript with up to 30 credits.

Additionally, depending on their selected pathway, a student can graduate with workforce certificates. For example, in Computer Science, they can earn an Emerging Tech Entrepreneurial Certificate; and with the Educational pathway, they acquire an Early Childhood Education Certificate.

“These are not only building their high school transcripts and their college transcripts, but also getting them certificates so they can immediately enter the workforce,” said Scott, adding that they are all “really proud” of the dual enrollment students for maintaining above a 90% success rate.

Learn more about the MUSD-SJCC Dual Enrollment Program here.