Henry Ford Early College Ranks Among Top Schools in Wayne County

Henry Ford Early College (HFEC) was recently ranked in the 99th percentile of the Top-to-Bottom scores for Michigan schools.

As a result of this ranking, HFEC is among the top four schools in Wayne County and the only school in that group.

Launched in 2007, HFEC is one of six “middle college” high schools established in 2006 and funded by state grants. HFEC’s purpose is to prevent students from dropping out of school and prepare them for employment opportunities in health careers. This is a five-year program that students begin as freshmen and complete as a fifth-year senior. It is a partnership between Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn Public Schools and the Henry Ford Health System.

An HFEC student will earn a high school diploma and either a health career college certificate through an associate’s degree in a health-related field or up to two years of transferable college credits. As an early college and member of the Middle College National Consortium, HFEC focuses on a small school learning setting, real-world learning experiences, and service learning in an academically challenging environment.

HFEC opened with approximately 40 freshmen in 2007. During the sophomore and junior years, students are enrolled in high school classes with an emphasis on math and science. They are gradually introduced to dual enrollment college classes, and their schedules in their 12th and 13th years are almost exclusively HFCC coursework and clinical rotations at the Henry Ford Health System. Upon graduation, qualified students are eligible for employment within the HFHS.

In addition to this new ranking, HFEC is designated as a "Reward School" for the second year in a row. According to the Michigan Department of Education, Reward Schools are in the top 5 percent of the Top-to-Bottom rankings. Additionally, the MDE adds schools to the list of Reward Schools based on the ability of a school to outperform schools with similar risk factors and demographic composition.

In 2009, HFEC was the recipient of the Innovation of the Year Award from Henry Ford Community College. The Innovation of the Year project is a national initiative of the League for Innovation, an international organization dedicated to catalyzing the community college movement with creative ideas and initiatives.

To learn more about Henry Ford Early College, call 313-317-1588, or visit http://www.henryford.com/body.cfm?id=50627.