Starting in Fall 2026, Mount Miguel High School will transition into an early college high school, enabling students to dual enroll at the Spring Valley high school and the nearby Cuyamaca Community College. This significant change was approved by the Grossmont Union High School board during its meeting on October 9.
Teachers, students, and alumni attended the meeting to share their experiences and advocate for the Matador Early College (MEC) program, which has operated for the past 15 years. The program aims to improve graduation rates—which currently stand at 76%—as well as enhance career and college readiness. With the board’s approval, all Mount Miguel students will now have the opportunity to take college classes while receiving dedicated support and assistance from high school staff.
For many students, the MEC program has been life-changing. Mount Miguel student Gabriel Battle shared, “If it weren’t for my experiences taking in-person classes on campus at Cuyamaca, I would have given up. If it weren’t for these experiences, I’d be looking pretty with my GED working the McDonald’s drive-through. The most important thing that this program has given me was hope. It gave me a plan for the future. It gave me a way out from the hopelessness that surrounded me at home.”
Community members believe this transformational change will elevate the school, which serves a more impoverished population than others in the district. Approximately 80% of Mount Miguel’s 1,500 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.
### Background and Funding
This shift to an early college model aligns with California’s College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) initiative, passed in 2016. CCAP encourages partnerships between higher education institutions and K-12 schools serving underserved populations who are not typically seen as “college ready.” Further strengthening these efforts, Governor Gavin Newsom introduced the Golden State Pathways grant program to help more high schools adopt early or middle college models. Mount Miguel received $250,000 in funding through this program.
### College Experience vs. College Credits
Mark Jeffers, who leads the MEC program and has worked to expand it beyond initial cohorts, emphasizes that the program is about more than just earning college credits. It provides high school students with an authentic college experience, including managing expectations, adhering to college schedules, and developing the self-motivation necessary for success.
“Our students on the campus are treated like any other college student,” Jeffers said.
Students in MEC receive additional support from high school teachers to help them adapt to college courses, which come with less flexibility for late assignments, reduced parental oversight, and fewer teacher-initiated interventions. Whether attending classes online or on-campus in Rancho San Diego, dual-enrolled students must meet the rigorous demands of college coursework designed for adult learners.
Jessica Robinson, president of Cuyamaca College and a Mount Miguel alumna, spoke in favor of the program’s expansion. She highlighted that in spring 2025, 111 Mount Miguel students took a total of 215 courses at Cuyamaca College, with an “extraordinary” 97% earning successful grades of C or higher.
“I know the brilliance and determination Mount Miguel students carry, and I know that they don’t need us to give them talent. They already have that,” Robinson said. “What they need are doors opened earlier, opportunities to step into a college classroom, and the chance to see themselves as scholars before anyone else can tell them that they aren’t.”
### Career Pathways Beyond Four-Year Colleges
The program does not limit students to pursuing four-year degrees. Cuyamaca College offers career preparation programs in fields such as water studies, child development, real estate, and automotive technology that do not require further degrees. Through MEC, Mount Miguel students can gain an early start in these programs, potentially leading to better-paid jobs soon after graduation.
Christian Haddock, an SDSU nursing student and former MEC participant, shared his and his high school best friend’s success story at the board meeting. His friend found motivation and even studied for a final exam for the first time while taking an automotive class through the program.
“Without MEC, I don’t think he would have graduated high school, so I’m forever grateful that MEC put him in a position to graduate,” Haddock said.
He described the program as a way for Mount Miguel students to compete on a level playing field with students from schools that have larger populations, greater resources, and more college-educated parents—not as a way to turn students into college-class-taking machines.
### Introducing the House System
While Mount Miguel students will not be required to take college courses, the early college program has already sparked increased interest in the school, which has struggled with a poor reputation. Although the school will undergo major changes, it will not convert into a charter or magnet school accepting students outside the Spring Valley and Lemon Grove neighborhoods.
Jeffers hopes this evolution will encourage families in the community to keep their children enrolled locally rather than transferring to schools with higher test scores. His vision is for local students to excel within their community and for the community to take pride in its high school.
One notable change slated for Fall 2026 is the adoption of a house system. Instead of cohort groupings, every student and staff member will be assigned to one of six houses that remain consistent throughout a student’s high school years. This structure is designed to foster deeper relationships between teachers and students.
Rachel Moritz, a MEC teacher, explained at the board meeting that cohorts develop “incredible relationships that are lasting,” where older students mentor younger ones and teachers have the opportunity to teach the same students multiple times.
“With the switch to an early college high school, it’s about building confidence, developing purpose, and opening doors and career pathways that our students might not have otherwise imagined for themselves,” Moritz said.
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Mount Miguel’s transition to an early college high school represents a promising opportunity to enhance educational outcomes and expand postsecondary pathways for its students. Through rigorous college coursework combined with supportive structures, the program aims to empower students to envision and achieve brighter futures.
https://timesofsandiego.com/education/2025/10/19/mount-miguel-early-college-high-school/
