SAGINAW, MICHIGAN – Great Lakes Bay Early College (GLBEC) has been listed as one of the top high schools in America in a recently released ranking by U.S. News and World Report which published their nationwide list of highest-ranked U.S. public schools in 2021 [view rankings]. Since opening in 2011, this is the fourth time that GLBEC has been ranked as one of America’s Top High Schools by U.S. News and World Report.
Great Lakes Bay Early College is an accredited early college program available to all 10th and 11th grade high school students in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Participating students have the unique opportunity to earn their high school diploma, professional certifications, and up to 60 college credits at Delta College or Saginaw Valley State University simultaneously at no cost. The program also offers professional networking experiences that help build life-long relationships with faculty, industry leaders, and mentors.
Kevin Summey, Program Coordinator for Great Lakes Bay Early College, stated, “The faculty, staff, students, partners, and supporters of Great Lakes Bay Early College are extremely honored and proud of this accomplishment. Our early college program is a great way for students to take ownership of their education, gain valuable college experience, expand networking and employment opportunities, and learn inside fully equipped, state-of-the-art classrooms, all while reducing their overall student loan debt.” Tenth and eleventh grade students from all backgrounds and academic levels, living in the Great Lakes Bay Region, are encouraged to register and attend a virtual GLBEC information session on Thursday, June 3, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., to learn about the perks, benefits, and privileges of participating in early college [register to attend].
According to U.S. News, “A great high school educates all students from different social and economic backgrounds, exposing them to challenging coursework on the path to graduation. The highest-ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report's 2021 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math and reading state assessments, earned qualifying scores in an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.” The methodology employed by U.S. News and World Report measures areas of college readiness, math and reading proficiency, math and reading performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rate [learn more].
First-semester students of Great Lakes Bay Early College attend a full day of high school classes in English, math, science, and college readiness. Students are required to stay an additional 13th year to meet program requirements. To graduate, students must complete at least 15 college credits, a minimum of 70+ hours of community service or job shadowing, a work-based learning experience, a lab-based college science course, and a college communications course.
Great Lakes Bay Early College is a Saginaw Intermediate School District program in partnership with Bay Arenac ISD, Midland County ESA, Saginaw Valley State University, and Delta College. Learn more about Great Lakes Bay Early College by visiting: www.sisd.cc/great-lakes-bay-early-college.
About Saginaw Intermediate School District Saginaw Intermediate School District (SISD) is an educational service agency that provides effective and innovative leadership, services, resources, and programs throughout Saginaw County, Michigan. Saginaw ISD serves 12 local school districts, 5 public school academies, and 22 non-public schools, with a total enrollment of approximately 27,000 students. Public school districts supported include: Birch Run Area Schools, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District, Carrollton Public Schools, Chesaning Union Schools, Frankenmuth School District, Freeland Community School District, Hemlock Public School District, Merrill Community Schools, Saginaw Public School District, Saginaw Township Community Schools, St. Charles Community Schools, and Swan Valley School District. Saginaw ISD provides career and technical education, early childhood, finance, human resources, instruction, pupil accounting, special education, technology, and transportation services. In addition, SISD operates multiple educational programs to meet the unique needs of students ages birth to 26 across Saginaw County, including: Hartley Outdoor Education Center, Head Start/Early Head Start and Great Start to Readiness Programs, Great Lakes Bay Early College, Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center School, and Special Education Center Programs. Learn more about Saginaw ISD by calling (989) 399-7473 or visiting www.sisd.cc.