Enhanced Partnership Expands Early/Middle College
Deb Miller appointed to lead collaboration with KVCC
Kalamazoo RESA and Kalamazoo Valley Community College announced this week an enhanced partnership aimed at expanding the county’s Early/Middle College.
The Early Middle/College program streamlines the current dual enrollment, Education for the Arts (EFA) and Education for Employment (EFE) efforts. “We fully expect this approach will more effectively prepare high school students for the rigors of college study and will help guide students through structured career and educational pathways aligned with their interests and skills,” said Dave Campbell, Superintendent of Kalamazoo RESA.
Early/Middle College provides students with the opportunity to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and up to two years of college credit, tuition free. The first phase of the initiative includes all nine of Kalamazoo RESA’s public school districts, and this fall, 120 students are participating, Campbell said.
Deb Miller, who has been the Executive Director of EFE, Kalamazoo RESA’s career and technical education program, will lead the newly expanded effort pending approval by the Board of Education this Thursday. Under this enhanced partnership, Kalamazoo Valley and Kalamazoo RESA will share Miller, who will be appointed Assistant Superintendent and Associate Vice President for Secondary Programming and Early/Middle College. Miller will continue to lead EFE in her new, shared role. She will also have oversight of other Kalamazoo RESA programs, including EFA, a K-12 arts education program, Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU), a program that helps job seekers and those looking to complete their education, and countywide project-based learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Miller’s appointment is a new position in the restructured program, brought about when Jim Murphy, the former administrator of the Early/Middle College, left Kalamazoo RESA this summer. When Murphy accepted a position as the Principal of the Gull Lake Early College and Innovative Programs, the administration agreed to re-examine the program. “We needed to determine how best to serve Kalamazoo RESA schools and students,” Campbell said. It made sense to strengthen the relationship with Kalamazoo Valley, giving students on-site access to advisors, a more meaningful orientation and the development of new career pathways.
“This joint venture will allow us to continue developing programs for well-paying careers that are in high-demand,” Miller said. “These students will be prepared for work immediately following graduation from high school and community college.”
Miller started her educational career as an English Language Arts and business teacher at Climax-Scotts in 1983. In 1985, she joined Education for Employment as a teacher in Galesburg-Augusta where she taught programming and business until 2003. She was then hired as the student services administrator for EFE at Kalamazoo RESA. In 2005, she replaced Tom Conor as EFE’s executive director.
Miller earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education at Western Michigan University. She holds a master’s degree from WMU in career and technical education, and is certified through the University’s leadership development program.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our students,” Miller said. “I’m very grateful to be a part of this collaborative effort as we work to help students take advantage of an expanded Early/Middle College.”