(Butler, PA) Sophomores through seniors at three Butler County schools can now join those from six others in capitalizing on Butler County Community College’s discounted tuition and fees toward earning a degree more quickly and entering the job market faster.

BC3’s College Within the High School program will debut in September at Freeport, Knoch and Moniteau with three-credit courses instructed during the regular school day available for $225 each.

“For our kids to be able to get college-level credits at that tuition rate is just outstanding,” said Kurt Reiser, Knoch High principal. “For many of our students, one of the first things they look at is the affordability of going to college. So for it to be at that price point for our students is tremendous.”

The cost, said Lance Fox, Moniteau High principal, “is very inexpensive.

“When you are paying $1,000 or more for a credit at some institutions, this is advantageous because it gives families the ability to afford the class that can transfer to those institutions or to BC3,” Fox said. “It gives you a leg up right away. For parents, it’s a win-win.”

Ian Magness is superintendent of the Freeport Area School District.

“Obviously the cost is quite favorable versus full tuition,” Magness said. “If the students have room in their schedule to take advantage of these opportunities, it will benefit their families and finances as well.”

BC3’s 29-year-old College Within the High School program last fall added Slippery Rock High.

Three-credit courses for $225 are also available at Butler, Karns City, Mars, Portersville Christian and Seneca Valley.

 

“A number of our students year-in and year-out graduate from Knoch and then pursue classes and coursework at BC3, so we are excited to expand that opportunity for them.”

-- Kurt Reiser, Knoch High principal

 

BC3’s credits transfer to public, private and online four-year colleges or universities.

Sophomores through seniors with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 are eligible for the dual-enrollment program whose courses are instructed at their high school or learning center.

Interested students should contact their high school guidance counselor or principal, or complete the BC3 high school programming application at bc3.edu/cwhs. Registration deadlines for this fall vary by school district.

Knoch students can choose among BC3 courses this fall in college algebra, college writing, introduction to digital photography and principles of economics-macro approach.

“A number of our students year-in and year-out graduate from Knoch and then pursue classes and coursework at BC3,” Reiser said, “so we are excited to expand that opportunity for them.”

 

 

“Whether you are taking it in the high school or on a campus such as BC3’s, the rigor is still definitely there in order to earn those college credits.”

-- Ian Magness, superintendent, Freeport Area School District

 

An average of 576 sophomores through seniors in the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters earned a total of 5,361 credits through BC3’s College Within the High School program, according to Dr. Josh Novak, BC3’s vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.

Among them were Slippery Rock High students who enrolled in BC3’s program and attained a total of 243 credits.

“It is imperative nationally … that students who aspire to go to college leave high school with some real tangible experiences,” Novak said, “and dual credit is one great example of that.

“We are committed to serving the needs of our communities,” Novak said. “If (dual-enrollment programming) is a need, I think BC3 is best-positioned to serve that need. It’s exciting for us to be able to do that and to build a program that is accessible and affordable for the people in our communities.”

 

“If they have the opportunity to take college courses before they graduate, they will get moving faster and benefit from that.”

-- Lance Fox, Moniteau High principal

 

Freeport students this fall can choose BC3 courses in general psychology and in principles of sociology and Moniteau students, in general psychology and in speech.

“This is definitely preparatory in seeing if the student can handle the rigor of college-level work,” Magness said. “Whether you are taking it in the high school or on a campus such as BC3’s, the rigor is still definitely there in order to earn those college credits.”

Moniteau, Fox said, has been trying to build relationships with “all of the colleges and universities. We see an opportunity for kids to gain college credits before they get there. Part of our push is to work on what they want to be. If they have the opportunity to take college courses before they graduate, they will get moving faster and benefit from that.”

About 71 percent of college students with dual-enrollment credits complete a credential within six years. That six-year completion percentage decreases to 57 for those who do not have dual-enrollment credits, according to a National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report in February.

 

The college will also instruct on its main campus in 2026-2027 its sixth free Early College Pioneers program funded by the Butler Area School District, the BC3 Education Foundation and a portion of a $347,000 state Department of Education dual-enrollment grant.

The Early College Pioneers program enables Butler High seniors to pursue 14 BC3 credits without charge through courses such as college writing, speech, research writing and economics. Sixty-six Butler High Early College Pioneers earned 924 BC3 credits in 2025-2026.

BC3 will also introduce this fall on its main campus an Early College Pioneers health care pathways program that will allow eligible Butler County high school seniors the opportunity to earn free credits in courses that lead to health care careers.

The program is funded by Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit contributions to the BC3 Education Foundation and by the state Department of Education dual-enrollment grant. Available this fall without charge will be a course in human anatomy and physiology I.

A three-credit BC3 College Within the High School course instructed at a high school outside of its regular school day costs $450.