By LEAH WANKUM
Managing Editor
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The university announced its partnership with Warrensburg High School on Tuesday morning that will offer dual credit courses for high school students.

Created by a joint effort of UCM and WHS faculty, the Innovation Track is designed to offer high school sophomores the opportunity to take college courses at 60 percent of the cost of tuition, or $85 per credit hour, for up to 30 hours of dual credit. Students who participate in Innovation Track will be able to complete a four-year degree in three years.

Scott Patrick, superintendent of Warrensburg R-VI School District, said the district is blessed to have a longstanding relationship with the university.

“Today’s announcement is further indication of the commitment from both our school district and UCM to provide our high school students with greater access to university course offerings through an expanded dual credit program,” he said.

Patrick said involvement in this program will allow students the opportunity to lower the cost of their education and accelerate the time it takes to complete a four-year degree.

“This will ultimately lessen the financial burden of a college diploma for you and your family,” Patrick said to WHS freshmen in attendance at the partnership announcement. “You’ll also be better prepared to pursue professional careers much, much sooner.”

Ashleigh Burnett, a WHS senior who took dual enroll courses with the university, said she’s been able to utilize the same learning platforms as traditional UCM students.

“I’ll be able to save a lot of time by being able to jump right into the courses that I want to take for my major, and I’ll be able to start that sooner,” Burnett said. “I’ll be able to graduate with a four-year degree in three, three and a half years instead of the usual four to four and a half years.”

Burnett said the Innovation Track has allowed her to succeed at a college level, but in a high school environment.

Chuck Ambrose, president of UCM, said the opportunities to make a difference is based on students staying in educational pathways and moving forward with college degrees.

“We really do believe it’s every student, every day, in every interaction, and for you, with your counselors and your teachers, that interaction as a college student can start right now,” Ambrose said.

The average debt of students attending a four-year institution in Missouri is more than $25,000, and the average debt of UCM graduates was $27,424 in 2014, according to the Institute for College Access & Success.

Patrick said high school freshmen may not be thinking about college debt at this point in their academic careers, but college is expensive, and students can rack up a lot of student loan debt after completing their degree.

“The need to address student debt is a local, state and national issue, and it’s an issue that the University of Central Missouri and our school district take very, very seriously,” Patrick said.