400 Tuscaloosa County High Freshmen Enrolled in Readiness Class at Shelton State

Shelton State Community College and Tuscaloosa County High School are launching a pilot program that will introduce ninth graders to college coursework and credits this school year.

This new dual enrollment initiative, called "Freshman to Future: The WKO 101 Experience," will enroll roughly 400 County High freshmen in a workplace skills course this academic year.

Students will be split into two cohorts, with about half taking the course in the fall and the rest in spring 2027.

In a press release announcing the program, Shelton said participants can earn college credit while building workplace and college-readiness skills and will also visit the Shelton State campus to see its programs, faculty, and college environment firsthand.

"Freshman to Future is about helping students see themselves as college students earlier in their educational journeys," said Beverly Foster, associate dean of enrollment management at Shelton State. "We want students to understand that college is within their reach and that Shelton State is here to help them begin building their future now. TCHS is one of the many schools with which we plan to pursue this initiative."

Shelton State framed the program as part of a broader push to widen access to college credit, strengthen career readiness and smooth the path from high school into college or the workforce.

More information about dual enrollment at Shelton State is available on their website.

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