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St. Mary graduation rates get tech school's attention

St. Mary Parish graduation rate hit a record in 2015-16 with 84.9-percent of students graduating on time.
South Central Louisiana Technical College has noticed.
“We are excited to see that the school district is doing well and we need to prepare ourselves for the influx of students,” said Dr. Willie Smith, interim director of SCLTC.
Smith said SCLTC has an open-access enrollment and welcomes all recent high school graduates from the parish. He also encourages students to enroll in high-demand fields such as air conditioning and refrigeration, business office administration, commercial diving, marine operations and welding, which the college offers.
To make sure students are fully prepared for college, incoming students of SCLTC take an Accuplacement assessment test for those who are seeking an associate degree. Technical degree-seeking students take fundamental core courses that prepare them for the general workforce.
In addition to a record graduation rate, half of St. Mary Parish students graduated with either an advanced or basic credential, which can be earned in multiple ways including earning a JumpStart credit.
JumpStart courses are designated courses offered by different schools throughout the parish in which students can receive college credit towards a technical or associate degree.
Smith said SCLTC works with local high schools with JumpStart and he encourages students to take advantage of the courses so they would have a leg up as they continue their education.
“It’s a win-win for students, and a win-win for parents,” said Smith. “They wouldn’t be starting as a beginner student but as an intermediate.”
Smith said he is proud of the school districts for the accomplishment that they have made with the students and getting them to graduate and he hopes to recruit some of those students to go to SCLTC.
For more information on programs at SCLTC, visit www.scl.edu.

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