Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of Edison Collegiate High School?

Edison Collegiate High School, a public charter school sponsored by the Charlotte County School District, is operated by Edison State College Charlotte Campus. This innovative school provides 9th- through 12th-grade students the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree in four years.

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are public schools of choice. Because they are free to offer innovative curricula, charter schools can provide effective educational programs to meet the needs of diverse groups of students. The number of charter schools in Florida has grown from 5 in 1996 to 410 in 2009. Charter school student enrollment for 2009-2010 is well over 100,000 students.

What are the admission requirements?

Edison Collegiate High School is open to all students in Charlotte County who have been certified by their middle schools as having passed the eighth grade FCAT tests and being ready to rise to high school. Selected by lottery, the first 100 students, the class of 2013, entered ECHS as freshmen in August 2009. In each succeeding year, a new freshman class of 100, also selected by lottery, will be admitted. Enrollment will be capped at 400 students in grades 9 through 12.

What is the application process?

Interested students and their parents must attend an informational meeting. Students must complete an application that can be downloaded from the Web site. Applications are due on March 1 and students will be notified of their acceptance in the first week in March. For more information, see Application.

Is there a cost to Edison Collegiate High School students?

As a public institution, Edison Collegiate High School is free of charge to students. Students receive free high school textbooks and free tutoring. Additionally, they receive free college tuition and fees, free college textbooks and access to all of the facilities of the college. Earning two years of college credit tuition-free is a major cost saving opportunity for students and their parents.

What kind of curriculum does Edison Collegiate High School offer?

The collegiate high school core curriculum was planned in accordance with the requirements of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards approved by the Florida Department of Education. All students will be exposed to the same academically challenging curriculum. All core courses will be taught at the honors level.

When will I take college courses?

As early as the second semester of the freshman year, students who have a 3.0 grade point average and an acceptable score on a college placement test (CPT, SAT, ACT) will be eligible to register for at least one college class. Others will be able to take a college course in their sophomore year. It is expected that most students will take all of their courses at the college level in their junior and senior years.

How does Edison Collegiate High School differ from Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other programs that offer college credit?

Edison Collegiate High School offers the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an A. A. degree simultaneously, study in a college environment, and the development of thinking, reading and writing skills across the curriculum. ECHS also provides access to comprehensive learning support services.

How do the college credits earned transfer to other colleges or universities?

The Florida Articulations agreement provides a statutory guarantee that college transfer credits earned at Edison State College are acceptable at all of the public universities and colleges in the state. Edison State College participates in Florida’s common course numbering system that ensures that college courses at the college are the same courses and course numbers offered at all other Florida colleges and universities.