EAST ST. LOUIS – A growing number of East St. Louis Senior High School students will begin attending Southwestern Illinois College full-time while still in high school after qualifying through GPA requirements and ACCUPLACER placement scores, with School District 189 covering all program costs.
This summer, eight sophomores and one junior will start at SWIC, the East St. Louis School District said. They will join four current juniors already enrolled in the program, bringing the expected total next year to the school’s highest in five years, according to the information provided.
Students qualify by meeting “rigorous GPA requirements” and earning qualifying placement scores on the ACCUPLACER exam, demonstrating “academic preparation and the determination to succeed at the collegiate level.”
“This is more than dual enrollment. It is a transformation,” the East St. Louis School District said.
The East St. Louis School District said the group could grow. Four additional students were tested on March 16, 2026, for the program with SWIC.
Enrollment by class for the program includes three students currently enrolled in the Class of 2026, five total students enrolled for next year in the Class of 2027 (three current and two new), and eight newly qualified students in the Class of 2028.
Students say they are motivated by the academic challenge and the opportunity to push themselves beyond traditional high school coursework. The program also removes financial barriers because School District 189 pays all expenses in full, “including tuition, fees, books, transportation, and meals.”
The district-funded support means students can earn both a high school diploma and a full associate degree “completely free to their families,” according to the information provided. After earning an associate degree, students can transfer to a four-year institution and complete a bachelor’s degree “in as little as two additional years.”
