Record Number of LEAD Southeast Students Earn College Credit Through Language Placement Test
One teacher at LEAD Southeast High School is taking LEAD’s mission to prepare students for college to the next level by ensuring her students earn college credit before they even arrive. This year, a record number of 26 students scored high enough on the Spanish language placement test at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) to earn credit hours for multiple courses.
“This opportunity to earn college credit in high school encourages our students, because they have already accomplished a part of their college journey, instead of starting from scratch like most students do,” said Marly Foad, who teaches three different Spanish courses at LEAD Southeast High.
Collectively, the students earned 261 hours of college credit, with 16 students earning enough hours to be only two courses away from acquiring a minor in Spanish. Of the 26 students, ten are not native English speakers, making Spanish the third language they have mastered.
Not only will Foad’s class help students earn college credit in high school, it also saves them money on paying for college classes. The highest scoring students will save up to $13,000 by bypassing several Spanish language courses in college. The impact Foad is making on her students’ futures is undeniable.
“Marly is a devoted Spanish teacher who has high expectations for all of her students,” said Jess Simmons, an instructional manager at LEAD Southeast High. “She believes that they will succeed, regardless of home language, and as a native Arabic speaker herself, she understands the challenges of learning a second, third, or fourth language. This uniquely qualifies her to be able to help students navigate difficulties with kindness and grace.”
Marly Foad hopes that time students have spent with her in Spanish classes not only benefits them in college, but also for the rest of their lives. “I love opening the eyes of my students to different cultures and traditions and showing them what they can do with learning a new language.”
