District 214, National Louis team up to offer college credit courses in business, education

Students at Northwest Suburban High School District 214 interested in pursuing careers in business or education soon will be able to get college credit through National Louis University while still in high school.

The new partnership, finalized earlier this month, begins next fall and will give students the chance to get college credit from National Louis University for three courses in business and three in education that they take in their District 214 classrooms.

"Together we are increasing college access and affordability that will help change the trajectory of students' lives and truly help students discover their future," District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said.

Classes will include introduction to education, college accounting and entrepreneurship.

Schuler said the classes will be the same rigor as those taken at the college level.

He said 1,000 students will have the opportunity to take these courses.

"This allows our students to discover what they want to do and sometimes what they don't want to do, which is also important for the rest of their lives," he added.

"We know it greatly increases their chances for success if they have an external experience while they are with us."

National Louis President Nivine Megahed said the partnership is the university's way of fulfilling what she sees as a moral obligation to help get students through college and to a career successfully.

"These kind of initiatives help shorten that path, help make your learning more practical and really prepare you with the skills to be competitive and confident once you leave college," Megahed said.

"We are delighted to be a part of this."

Schuler hopes the partnership will encourage more students to seek careers in education. Students from the district's Education Academy - a program for seniors who are interested in becoming teachers - were on hand for the official signing of the agreement.

"It's really awesome," said Rolling Meadows senior Jassica Durek.

"I'm not really sure what I want to do, but it's an awesome opportunity for students to find out what they like and get credit for it." As part of the Education Academy, a group of students from all six District 214 high schools take classes twice a week and spend the other three days student teaching in local schools.

"It's been amazing to know what teaching is like from such an early stage," said Max Crowninshield, a Prospect High School senior who plans to become a high school history teacher.

"It's shown me that I really do want to be a teacher."

Although Crowninshield will be in college by the time the new dual-credit courses start, he said it will offer a good opportunity for the students coming behind him.

"It's a great way to get a little extra for the amount of work they do," he said.