The SLAM Foundation and its schools operate under Cognia accreditation through its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools division.

For 20 students at SLAM North, graduation day comes with an unusual head start. Before collecting their high school diplomas, they have already completed the equivalent of two years of college. The achievement is the result of an ambitious dual-enrollment programme that has allowed these students to earn Associate in Arts degrees from Doral College while still navigating their final years of high school, states the SLAM Foundation report.

Two degrees, one graduation

Of SLAM North’s 56 graduating seniors, 20 completed 60 college credits each and earned associate degrees before finishing high school. Together, they accumulated 1,200 college credits, a milestone that translates into an estimated $312,000 in tuition savings for their families, based on an estimated cost of $260 per credit, states the foundation release.Beyond the financial benefit, the programme gives students something perhaps even more valuable: time. Entering university with substantial college coursework already completed can allow them to move more quickly through undergraduate studies, explore additional subjects or redirect resources towards other academic and career goals.The accomplishment also highlights the growing role of dual-enrollment programmes in making college-level education accessible while students are still in school.

A network built around opportunity

As per the report, SLAM North is part of the SLAM Foundation, a nonprofit educational organisation focused on expanding tuition-free public charter schools in communities that have historically had fewer educational opportunities.The network began in Miami in 2012, when Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur and education advocate Armando Christian Pérez, better known as Pitbull, opened the first SLAM school. The organisation has since expanded to 14 schools across Florida, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona, serving nearly 7,000 students. The schools combine academics with a strong focus on preparing students for college and careers. The foundation supports educators and school leaders, curriculum development, community partnerships and collaborations with organisations and sports franchises.

Recognition beyond the classroom

SLAM’s approach has also received recognition from Cognia, a global nonprofit organisation focused on school accreditation and improvement. The SLAM Foundation and its schools operate under Cognia accreditation through its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools division.In 2022, SLAM was named a Cognia System of Distinction, placing it among a select group of schools and school systems recognised internationally for educational excellence and service to learners.At SLAM North, however, the clearest measure of that mission may be found in the graduating class itself. For nearly four in 10 seniors, a high school graduation now marks not the beginning of college, but the completion of their first major chapter in higher education.Images Courtesy: SLAM Foundation and Wikipedia