Purpose

Our team offers equitable access to early college credits and industry-recognized credentials to motivate students and provide them with real world skills. This gives students a head start on completing a career-aligned college degree and finding their first job.

Definition

• Early College Credits: Credits which may count towards completion of a college degree and enable students to get a head start on college completion
  • Conditional on NYCPS pathway approval, applicable courses could be dual credit/enrollment (including ECC coursework), Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB)
  • Dual credit refers to a system in which high school students can earn both high school and college credits for taking college-level courses while in high school. This means that students can earn credit towards their high school diploma and earn college credit simultaneously, thus “dual” credit.
  • Dual enrollment is a broader term that refers to any system in which high school students take college-level courses while still in high school.
• Industry Recognized Credentials: Refers to certifications that are validated by employers which demonstrate mastery and skills in various sectors. High school students can attain a credential as part of their pathway. Many FRNYC pathways include credentials that are stackable and open doors to postsecondary opportunities and strong first jobs. Types of credentials include:
  • “Stepping Stone” credentials (e.g., basic cardiac life support) are designed to provide students with an understanding of basic content and build confidence to pursue higher level credentials.
  • Credentials of value (COV) are in-demand credentials aligned with the labor market to offer a higher level of employment and a living wage.

Minimum experiences FRNYC schools must provide to FRNYC students

Each FRNYC high school will equitably offer early postsecondary opportunities that are integrated within career pathways; schools will be supported in partnership with higher education institutions. The early college course sequence is approved by NYCPS and courses are categorized as FRNYC-ECC. CUNY course sequences have been selected based on the following criteria. A CUNY resource link is set to publish on the first day of school.

• Career-Connectedness: Preference is given to courses that demonstrate strong connection to the designated career and related degree pathways and equip students with practical skills and foundational knowledge relevant to a broad range of career pathways. When possible, selected courses integrate or align to industry-recognized credentials and the FRNYC high school content standards and curriculum.
• Transferability: Preference is given to courses that transfer across institutions, particularly within the CUNY and SUNY systems, thereby supporting student mobility and degree completion. To the extent possible, courses satisfy core academic requirements and fulfill requirements or prerequisites for degrees that connect closely to the designated industry.
• Accessibility and Differentiation: Preference is given to courses that are highly accessible, with minimal to no prerequisite requirements, making them suitable for high school students. When possible, courses are structured to accommodate diverse learning needs through additional support or enrichment, enabling equitable participation and differentiated instruction.
• Engagement: Preference is given to courses in which content and pedagogy are experiential, interactive, and culturally responsive in order to engage high school learners. When possible, instruction moves beyond traditional lecture formats.
• ECC Course information and GPA requirements: A digital resource is due to publish soon. It will house details regarding ECC courses including GPA and course requirements, along with modality. A link will be added here once it's published.

In most cases, the partner will be a CUNY campus that would provide students with an NYCPS approved sequence of occupationally-aligned early college credits that will prepare them for a career in their FRNYC pathway. Schools that are matched with non-CUNY campuses will be directly engaged with the FRNYC and OSP leadership teams to facilitate those partnerships.

For schools partnered with CUNY campuses, ECC partners / ECC coursework is a funded college transition / dual enrollment program for New York City public high school students delivered in partnership between CUNY and New York City Public Schools.

The Early College Credits and Credentials requirements for FRNYC pathways include the following:

• ECC courses require 37.5 hours of instruction
• CUNY (or SUNY) Explorers campus visit for 9th graders (non-credit bearing)
• CUNY First Year Seminar (FYS) or SUNY AP Seminar, which may be offered to eligible sophomores as a one-college-credit course. FYS requires completion of 12.5 instructional hours.
• Two FRNYC Early College Pathway Courses³ i for eligible juniors and seniors.
  • In order to meet CUNY's eligibility requirements and to ensure equitable access to early postsecondary opportunities, schools and district teams are encouraged to prioritize academic acceleration and integration support starting in summer prior to freshmen and sophomore years.
  • Schools are encouraged to use the course standards to work with their ECC partners to determine whether and how ECC courses can be offered a dual-credit and simultaneously fulfill the requirements of CCI courses. Dual credit is a structure that will reduce the credit load for students and accelerate progress through the pathway.
• CRMYA Apprenticeships: For schools participating in CRMYA, credit for prior learning may also be awarded for eligible training, work experience, and earned credentials

This table is a suggested breakdown of opportunities to earn early college credits by grade level; these opportunities may be taken throughout the FRNYC experience and as students meet higher education eligibility requirements. Adaptations based on student populations served, type of schools (transfers, District 75, Internations) may be considered in consultation with the FRNYC team.

• • Grade i

  • Action

• • Grade 9
  • CUNY Explorers campus or SUNY Explorers visit (non-credit bearing)
• • Grade 10
  • One first-year seminar course via SUNY or CUNY or an equivalent such as AP Seminar
• • Grade 11
  • At least 1 FRNYC-ECC, dual enrollment, credit-bearing ECC partners, SUNY, or other higher education institution course
    • Note: AP / IB courses may also fulfill this requirement, and dual-enrollment courses must be offered through an FRNYC-approved higher education partner
• • Grade 12
  • At least 1 FRNYC-ECC, dual enrollment, credit-bearing ECC partners, SUNY, or other higher education institution course
    • Note: AP / IB courses may also fulfill this requirement, and dual-enrollment courses must be offered through an FRNYC-approved higher education partner

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³ Our broader goal is to codify and significantly expand equitable access to dual enrollment opportunities for FRNYC pathways. This work will be prioritized with our higher education partners in SY 26.

Guidance for Effective ECC Partnership Engagement

Schools should dedicate staff capacity to support Early College Credits and Credentials (ECC) programming.Your higher ed partner will confirm due dates, for all mentioned deadlines. Staffing requirements include:

• 1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) per 125 FutureReadyNYC students for coordination of Work-Based Learning and ECC.
• Staff assigned to these roles should coordinate with school administration and each other to ensure successful implementation.
• Responsibilities include outreach to students and families, advising on academic eligibility and course selection, coordinating with Higher Education Partners, and tracking student progress.
• Schools are encouraged to customize staffing based on community needs and may use per session or other coverage options as appropriate.

To establish FRNYC aligned Early College Credits and Credentials (ECC) programming for students, schools should adhere to the following guidance:

• • Guidance

  • Action Items and Guidance

• • Principal assigns a school-based ECC⁴ Coordinator (required)
  • • ECC Coordinator will:
      • Facilitate recruitment and support the application process for ECC courses
      • Meet regularly with ECC staff to check-in on students’ progress as it relates to attendance and credit completion
      • NOTE: Recommend that the ECC coordinator should not be assigned to AP/Principal
    • Schools should complete student registration for Fall course work by August for CUNY and reach out directly to their higher education partners if not partnered with CUNY
    • Spring 2026 recruitment should begin in October and be completed no later than December.
• • ECC Coordinator meets with a campus-based leader to learn about ECC course offering, policies and modalities
  • • These meetings are required to enable your school to learn about ECC course offerings, policies, and how the ECC program can align with your school and its vision for FRNYC
    • Course modality types for ECC courses include:
      • Location: In-person, on campus, virtual or hybrid
      • Timing: During school day, before or after school, or weekend
      • High School teaching staff for ECC Course Offerings:

        • NYCPS Teacher can serve as CUNY Adjunct (must adhere to CUNY hiring processes and requirements) – guidance on becoming a CUNY adjunct is detailed at the bottom of this section)

        • CUNY Adjunct can teach on School Campus (fingerprinting required)
    • ECC Coordinators for schools partnered with a non-CUNY higher education partner should work in coordination with their campus representative to establish the hiring and credentialing guidelines for those higher education partners.
• • Determine which semester(s) programming will be offered
  • • Consider how student access to work-based learning internships and ECC may balance and interact to make the most effective student-centered experience. Consider which will be offered in the Fall and which in the Spring term to coordinate programming, scheduling, academic preparation ,and credit accumulation.
    • To ensure alignment with higher education partners’ planning timelines, the ECC Coordinator and school principal must determine whether Fall ECC courses will be offered during the Spring semester of the preceding school year. Early planning is essential to secure course offerings, coordinate with postsecondary institutions, and maximize student participation in both academic and work-based learning experiences.Schools that opt to offer programming in the Spring will need to determine their Spring offerings in partnership with their ECC partner in the Summer/early Fall.
    • While establishing and maintaining a close partnership with your ECC campus partner is vital, reach out to the FRNYC team for support with FRNYC-ECC options and programming questions.
• • Equitably identify⁵ students to register for ECC courses i
  • • Review college expectations for academic writing, research, presentation, and math skills (for example, by reviewing the syllabus of your partner campus's English Composition and College Algebra courses). Consider how to ensure all students are learning those skills in 9th and 10th grade coursework to be ready for ECC enrollment by 10th and 11th grade.
    • Consider obtaining and distributing translated communications to families to highlight ECC opportunities and benefits for their child
    • For ECC Course Offerings: Support students with creating their CUNYFirst Account which is a gateway to all CUNY enrollment
    • When planning for the following year of FRNYC in your school, consider reaching out to current students and families to inform them of ECC options before the end of the school year to plan enrollment and preparation for the upper grades in advance.
• • Finalize Fall and Spring ECC enrollment (deadline in summer–please confirm exact date with your campus partner)
  • • In general, registration for Fall courses is due in August for CUNY. Schools should check in directly with their higher education partner if outside of CUNY.
    • For the Spring semester we ask all FRNYC student enrollments be completed by December. For schools matched with an ECC partner, please connect with your CUNY champion to coordinate pre-requisite requirements and students registered on CUNYFirst.
• • For schools partnered with a CUNY for ECC: Schedule a CUNY Explorers campus visit
  • • Schedule a college trip or CUNY Explorers campus visit with the 9th grade Career Foundations teacher(s).
• • Establish a regular meeting schedule (e.g., monthly) with ECC partner
  • • It is important for schools to manage student enrollment, attendance, and ECC course completion. Withdrawing without notification and/or failing a ECC course will negatively impact student transcripts.
    • The ECC Coordinator must be in close and consistent contact with their ECC partner at all times to monitor enrollment and attendance and to resolve problems as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
    • Schools should schedule additional touchpoints as needed to check in on student progress and review disaggregated data and address disproportionality.
• • Equipment and facilities for ECC courses
  • • Some ECC courses--especially in Technology, Healthcare, and HVAC pathways--may require equipment, facilities, and computer access that are not available at all NYCPS high schools. If your school is pursuing the possibility of ECC courses offered on-site at the high school, be sure to coordinate with your ECC partner to determine all equpiment, facility, and software access needs and how to facilitate these well before course start. FRNYC funds may be used for reasonable and necessary purchase or modification of equipment or facilities for ECC coursework.
• • Student agency in selection of ECC/CCI pathways
  • • ECC courses are often designed to be offered in a sequence through which a cohort of students builds skills and knowledge. Ideally, this sequence also connects to the CCI courses that students are taking, or the CCI and ECC courses can be combined, thus reducing the total number of classroom hours required for students without sacrificing learning. In considering ECC courses, attend to what information can help students to have agency and voice in opting into these sequences based on their interest in the courses and field.

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⁴ FRNYC schools receive funding that can be used to dedicate staff capacity to the following roles: 1 FTE per 125 FutureReadyNYC students to support the coordination of Work-Based Learning and Early College Credits and Credentials [tied to enrollment]

⁵ Enrollment for FRNYC-ECC should be representative of the school’s enrollment profile including student identities and backgrounds (e.g., race/ethnicity, income/class, sex, geography, academic performance, ability, ELL, first-generation status, refugee status, foster care status, and undocumented status). This starts with early engagement with students and families, academic intervention and wrap around support before and during FRNYC-ECC programming to ensure all students are engaged, persisting and earning early college credits.

For Schools Matched with ECC Partners: Qualifications for ECC Adjuncts

Schools are encouraged to work with their college partners to design dual credit ECC coursework offerings aligned to the NYCPS standard FRNYC course sequences. This enables students to accelerate through the pathway, ease the credit load, and simultaneously satisfy college and high school requirements.

One strategy for this is to have NYCPS teachers serve as CUNY college adjuncts. Each ECC course is overseen and managed by the academic department Dean or Chairperson of each CUNY campus that offers the course. The minimum qualification to be a ECC Partner Adjunct is a baccalaureate and graduate degree (master's degree preferred) in the field of the course. Additional qualifications may be required on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of three years' teaching experience is often preferred. To apply for a position, applicants must contact the designated college representative in the manner indicated on the job posting before the closing date, which is specific to each college. The closing date is the date by which all completed applications must be received.

Persons employed as adjuncts shall be assigned to teach part-time or perform related duties on a part-time basis. The appropriate Dean or Chairperson assigns teaching and work schedules. Adjunct appointments are made on a session-by-session basis, subject to satisfactory evaluation, the needs of the department, sufficiency of registration, changes in curriculum, and financial ability.

Adjunct and non-teaching adjuncts are paid in accordance with the terms of CUNY/PSC collective bargaining agreement. Salary schedule is available at www.psc-cuny.org.

Schools not matched with ECC partners should speak directly to their ECC counterpart at their higher education partner to establish adjunct or other status as available.

INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS AND CREDENTIALS OF VALUE (COV)

FRNYC students may prepare to earn an industry credential such as a stepping stone credential or credential of value that meet demand and wage thresholds to prepare students for high-value career opportunities. A list of FRNYC pathway-specific credentials can be found here.

To prepare students to earn industry credentials, schools can:

• Determine which NYCPS-approved credential will be offered the following year.
• Budget and expect to fund credentials of value through their own school budgets or through FRNYC launch funding.
• Create and present a credentialing overview for students to provide information about credentialing coursework

• • Grade i

  • Action

• • Grade 9
  • Schools identify credentialing options for new students and review vendor information, preparing student facing information
• • Grade 10
  • Schools prepare an information session to give students information regarding industry credentials, including:
    • Instructions on applicability of credentials
    • Introduction to example credentials
• • Grade 11
  • Students may earn a stepping stone credential (e.g., basic cardiac life support) designed to provide students with an understanding of basic content and build confidence towards attaining a higher level credential of value
• • Grade 12
  • Students are expected to complete coursework and take exams to earn credential

Additional Recommended Resources

• Academic Policy Guidance on College Courses for Dual High School and College Credit

• The Dual Credit Playbook can support schools who wish to offer ECC coursework during the school day for high school credit