High school students are starting to figure out who they want to be as adults. Dearborn Public Schools offers teens choices to explore careers and to pick their own path, whether that means being ready for a career immediately after graduation or getting into that competitive college.
Five-year high school + college options
These four programs allow students to get both a high school diploma and associate’s degree or skilled trades certificate from Henry Ford College in five years at no cost to the family. For some students, this will lead directly to a career. Others continue on to a four-year university.
Collegiate Academy
The Henry Ford Collegiate Academy provides students a more traditional high school experience. Students spend all of 9th and 10th grade at their home high school – Dearborn, Edsel Ford or Fordson. Students who qualify for the program based on their 10th grade PSAT test will be invited to join the Academy in their 11th grade year. Teens can continue to participate in all traditional high school activities including sports, clubs and social events through 12th grade, but for 13th grade spend the whole day at the HFC campus. Contact your high school guidance counselor or Michael Gothro, Counselor, grothom@dearbornschools.org or Adam Martin, Executive Director of Student Achievement martina@dearbornschools.org.
Henry Ford Early College
Located on the Henry Ford College campus, this small high school is collaboration between the Dearborn Public Schools, Henry Ford College (HFC), and the Henry Ford Health System. Students enter the school in the 9th grade to pursue a career in health care and gain hands-on experience along the way. Successful completion of the five-year program results in students earning a high school diploma and an associate of science degree, a career-ready certificate, and/or up to two years of college credit. Contact Principal Majed Fadlallah, fadlalm@dearbornschools.org or visit the Early College website.
Henry Ford Early College-Advanced Manufacturing- Powered by Ford
Also located at Henry Ford College, this small high school is collaboration between the Dearborn Public Schools and Henry Ford College (HFC). The school has obtained a grant from Ford Motor Company. Students enter the school in the 9th grade to pursue a career in a manufacturing-related field such a drafting, auto mechanics, welding or electronics. Successful completion of the 5-year program results in students earning a high school diploma and an associate of science degree, a career-ready certificate, and/or up to two years of college credit. Contact Principal Majed Fadlallah fadlalm@dearbornschools.org or visit the Advanced Manufacturing website.
Henry Ford Early College – School of Education
Also located at Henry Ford College, this program focuses on preparing students to pursue careers in education. The college is divided into to areas. The Children and Families Program prepares graduates to work as professionals in early childhood settings such as childcare programs, Head Start, the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and private pre-kindergarten programs. This program completes the first half of your baccalaureate (BA) degree and prepares you for transfer to four-year universities. The Pre-Education Program consists of five areas of study: Child Development, Pre-Elementary, Pre-Secondary, Pre-Special Education and an Educational Paraprofessional Certificate. The four associate programs helps you to complete the first half of your baccalaureate (BA) degree, prepare you for transfer to a four-year university formal teacher training program and work toward achieving your full teacher certification. Both programs instill a love of learning by providing students with hands-on educational experiences designed to transfer educational skills to the workplace or to continue learning at a university. Successful completion of the five-year high school results in students earning a high school diploma and an associate of science degree, a career-ready certificate, and/or up to two years of college credit paid for by Dearborn Public Schools.
Half-day special programs
Dearborn Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (DCMST)
The Dearborn Center for Mathematics, Science, & Technology was created in 2001 to provide a challenging program for high achieving, highly motivated students. Currently, our competitive admission process selects 90 students for enrollment in the 9th grade from all qualified 8th grade students. Acceptance is based on an evaluation process that considers middle school grades and standardized test scores. Students attend DCMST for a half-day with transportation provided to and from their home high school. Contact Principal Winifred Green greenw@dearbornschools.org or visit the DCMST website.
Michael Berry Career Center
The Michael Berry Career Center offers career and technical classes in the fields of health care, technology, business, culinary arts, criminal justice and construction. Eleventh and twelfth grade students attend the Career Center for either two or three hours each day. Transportation is provided to and from the home high school. Contact Principal Winifred Green greenw@dearbornschools.org or visit the MBCC website.
Other options for a custom-fit education
Dual Enrollment
Through dual enrollment, eleventh and twelfth grade students are able to earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Many Dearborn students attend Henry Ford College gaining a head start on their college educations. There are limitations on course availability based on completion of high school courses as well as test scores. Contact your high school counselor for more information.
Honors Classes
Honors classes are offered in Language Arts (9th and 10th grades), Geometry (9th grade), Algebra 2 (10th grade), Pre-Calculus (11th grade), Biology (9th grade), Chemistry (10th and 11th grades) and Physics (10th and 11th grades). These advanced high school classes are faster paced and more rigorous than non-honors classes. Enrollment is limited and is based on past grades, test scores, and teacher recommendation. Contact your high school counselor or principal.
Advanced Placement
Advanced placement classes offer high school students university-level courses at their high schools or online through the Michigan Virtual High School. Enrollment is open to all students in the 11th and 12th grades. Students who take AP classes are encouraged to sit for the national AP exams in May of each year. Students achieving a passing score are awarded college credit by the college or university they attend after high school. Contact your high school counselor to learn more.
Work-Based Learning
Seniors who have a job may be able to earn high school elective credit for their work-based learning experience. Contact your high school counselor.
Reading/Writing, Mathematics, and Science Intervention Classes
Each high school offers additional support classes in math and reading/writing support during the school day to students who are performing substantially below grade level. This support class is in addition to students’ regular language arts and/or math class and replaces an elective. Contact high school counselor.
Summer School
Secondary summer school offers students another opportunity to catch up on lost credits or the chance to take additional classes during the regular school year. The district wide summer school location rotates each year between Dearborn High, Edsel Ford, and Fordson High schools. Fees apply. Contact your high school counselor or graduation intervention specialist.
ASAP Extended Day Program
We encourage students who fail classes to immediately make up the lost credit in this after school program. This is important for our goal of keeping students on track to graduate high school on-time. Students who have not failed classes may also may choose to take classes in the extended day program to add additional classes during the regular school day. Classes are held at each of our high schools immediately after school. Fees apply. Contact the high school counselor or graduation intervention specialist.
Credit by Examination (Test Out)
In January and June of each year, students in 7th through 12th grades have the opportunity to earn high school credit for up to 2 semester-long classes. Students are required to achieve a score of 78% or higher on the district comprehensive exam thereby demonstrating mastery of high school course content. Test out is part of the State of Michigan rules regarding the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Contact your high school guidance counselor or Dr. Daniel Patterson, Director of Assessment, patterd@dearbornschools.org
Early Start
Incoming ninth grade students who have been identified by their middle school as likely to have challenges in high school are recommended to participate in Early Start during the summer between eighth and ninth grades. Students spend 12 days during the summer working with the high school staff on study skills and previewing the ninth grade curriculum. Once the regular school year begins, these students are followed closely by their counselors. The counselors meet frequently with the students and communicate with their teachers to catch any problems early to ensure student success. Lunch meetings allow students to stay in constant contact with their counselors and the ninth grade lead teacher. This offers the strong support necessary for at-risk freshmen to adjust to high school. Contact your ninth grade lead teacher or high school principal.
Dearborn Magnet High School
Students who have experienced difficulties at their home high school may apply to enroll at the Magnet. The small high school offers a personalized learning environment focused on high school graduation. Students are required to be involved in community service projects. Contact Principal Winifred Green at greenw@dearbornschools.org
Career and Technical Education
CTE programs are offered through Dearborn Public Schools and are offered at Dearborn, Edsel Ford and Fordson high schools as well as the Michael Berry Career Center.
Detailed information and program/course descriptions can be found at https://berry.dearbornschools.org/
- Aspiring Dearborn Educators (Education Careers/Teacher Cadet)
- Automotive Technician (NATEF Certified) – Edsel Ford and Fordson
- Computer Programming/Programmer
- Construction Trades/Geometry in Construction (Pre Skilled Trades) – Edsel Ford and Fordson
- Criminal Justice and Law Careers
- Culinary Arts (Hospitality Careers)
- Dearborn Business Academy (Three business programs in one)
- Accounting and Finance
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Marketing and Sales
- Allied Health Sciences (Medical Careers)
- Medical Assisting
- Dental Assisting
- Clinical
- Sports Medicine
- Pharmacy Technician
- Digital/Multimedia and Design (Information Technology and Design Technology Careers)
- Design Concepts (art and graphic design focus)
- Software Specialist (application and development focus)
- Certified Welding Technician – Edsel Ford only
High School CTE Elective Courses
Various courses are available to students for exploring career interests and/or supplement their Educational Development Plans (EDPs). Courses are available at all three high schools unless noted.
- Allied Health Science Electives (MBCC Only)
- ER Response Training (Advanced CPR and First Aid)
- Business Department Electives
- Business Math
- Computer Applications
- Computer Science Discoveries
- Incubator (Fordson Only)
- Intro to Business
- Intro to Keyboarding
- Intro to Web Page Design (Edsel and Fordson)
- Multimedia (Edsel and Fordson)
- Personal Finance
- Criminal Justice and Law Electives
- Forensic Science
- Family and Consumer Science Electives
- Clothing 1, 2 (Fordson Only)
- Confident Consumer
- Foods for Life
- Fundamental Foods
- Interior Design (Fordson Only)
- Industrial Education
- Home Technology 1,2
- Robotics (Fordson Only)
- Wood Technology 1,2,3,4
- Advanced Wood Technology 5 (Edsel Ford Only)
- Welding Technician (FHS Only, CTE Program at Edsel Ford)
- Information Technology Electives
- Computer Science Discoveries
- AP Computer Science Principles (MBCC/DCMST and Edsel Ford)
- AP Computer Science A (MBCC/DCMST only)
- Science Department Electives
- Anatomy and Physiology (Recommended for all Allied Health Careers Students)
- Forensic Science (Recommended for all Criminal Justice and Law Careers Students)
- Social Studies Department Electives
- AP Economics (Recommended for all Dearborn Business Academy students)
- Video Production Courses (Dearborn High only)
- Adv Video 1,2
- Adv Movie Making 1,2
- Studio Production 1,2
- Video Editing 1,2