Elevating Excellence: Dual Credit Opportunities Expand Pathways to Higher Education for Parkland Students Parkland is dismantling the walls between secondary and post-secondary education by allowing students to earn college credits on and off campus through district-approved higher education partners. This initiative provides an opportunity for college-level rigor while significantly reducing the overall cost of a degree, supported by a vast network of partnerships that align with students' career and academic interests. Dr. Mark Madson discusses all the opportunities with the team who leads this effort: Assistant PHS Principals Dr. Terry Meehan and Terri Plattner and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michelle Minotti.
PHS Dual Credit/Early College webpage
Active Collaborations at the start of the 2026-27 School Year:
• Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC): Features dual-credit options taught by Parkland teachers, as well as the “Early College” program allowing juniors and seniors to earn an Associate Degree alongside their high school diploma, and part-time college. LCCC also partners on specialized pathways like Private Pilot Flight Theory and Medical Assisting where Parkland students recently secured competitive Valley-wide slots and scholarships.
• Lackawanna College: Provides part-time college online opportunities and dual-credit options taught at PHS in Accounting, Business Management, and Marketing.
• Kutztown University: Features the “Early College Academy” with dedicated Education and Exploratory Studies tracks. Students complete morning coursework on Kutztown’s campus before returning to PHS.
• Cedar Crest College, Penn State University-Lehigh Valley, Muhlenberg College and Moravian University: Provides part-time college experiences through access to select campus courses.
• Rochester Institute of Technology (PLTW): Certifies Parkland teachers to deliver national STEM curricula in Engineering and Biomedical Science for college credit.
• Seton Hall University: Offers dual-credit options via Project Acceleration for advanced World Language courses (Spanish, French, German, and Latin) taught at PHS by Parkland teachers.
• DeSales University: An upcoming collaboration currently in development to further expand student options.