Frequently Asked Questions

ECHS is a magnet school, in partnership with Chemeketa Community College (CCC), for students seeking an accelerated alternative to the standard high school path. Our mission is to create a pathway to college for our students, through the use of AVID school-wide and dual-credit options. While enrolled in ECHS, students will complete their required high school credits and have the opportunity to begin taking college courses in the fall of their junior year. The courses are offered at no charge to the students and count toward both high school graduation requirements and college degree requirements.

A number of different variables are examined when considering a student for entrance into the program. We encourage all interested students to apply as there are few single traits that qualify or disqualify a student from attending our program. Some of the traits we consider are grade point average, attendance, previous coursework, letter of reference, responses to application questions, previous enrollment in AVID, difficulty of previous coursework as well as other factors. We are looking for students who we think will be successful in an accelerated college preparatory program.

The type of student who does well at ECHS is typically a highly motivated learner. Our students enter our program at different levels of ability, but they all must have a similarly strong motivation to grow and become the best student they can be. Our students typically share the trait that they want the quickest path to begin taking college courses. Many of our students will be the first in their family to attend college.

The typical ECHS student will take a full high school class schedule during 9th and 10th grade years. Once a student demonstrates the required skills for college transition, they will be able to apply to be a half-time college student and begin taking a combination of high school and college courses. The transition to half-time college usually occurs during a student’s 11th grade year. Once a student has demonstrated success as a half-time college student, they may apply to be a full-time college student, typically sometime during their 11th or early 12th grade year.  

Several differences include smaller class sizes at ECHS, small cohorts of students in each grade, AVID school- wide, and the building of both a high school and Chemeketa transcript during high school. Please talk with any ECHS student, staff, and parent for the many other positive benefits for attending ECHS.

As part of the in-district transfer agreement, families are responsible for transportation to and from ECHS.

Dual credit is a term used to define courses from which students receive both high school and college credit for completing a college class. 

While we do have students who work on this track, a typical ECHS student will complete 30-60 college credit hours towards an Associate of Arts (AA) degree or program. Typical AA degree programs are around 90 college credit hours. Many students looking to complete their AA degree utilize Oregon Promise and Financial Aid to complete their coursework the year after they graduate from ECHS.

ECHS does not directly offer a sports or music program on site.

As part of Salem Keizer District, students are able to participate in sports at their neighborhood high school.

While this option is available to all students, the scheduling and organization for this option is the responsibility of the family. Please be aware that this option may create scheduling and credit challenges in a student’s schedule, due to differences in school schedules, dismissal times, class schedules, and other factors. We will do our best to work with the family to balance these needs and changes.

If interested in this option, please schedule a time to discuss options with an ECHS administrator or counselor. 

Building 50/51 houses many of Chemeketa's high school programs, so most of the students in the building are high school age. Included in these programs are some college classes options, and some of the students in those classes are adults.

Along with Chemeketa’s programs, Building 50/51 is shared with the Salem-Keizer Roberts at Chemeketa High School. Roberts @ CCC is technically a separate school from ECHS, but we do share resources. For instance many of our elective classes are shared in order to be able to offer all students the greatest number of choices.

Due to scheduling differences between ECHS, CCC, and CTEC, students will need to return to their home school for access to CTEC in most cases. ECHS does offer high school courses in an Education CTE pathway as well as any of the CCC program options once enrolled in Chemeketa full time.

ECHS is an AVID school-wide program and as part of our school’s requirements, students are required to be enrolled in an AVID class at all times while enrolled at ECHS and participate in all AVID related activities.

ECHS and Roberts @ Chemeketa together offer a large number of after school opportunities and clubs to engage students including Book Club, Fiber Arts Club, Volleyball Club, Math Club, Gender Sexuality Alliance, Chess Club, OR Game Project, D&D Club, Creative Writing, Mesa (STEM), Student Council, and more. Clubs are all student generated with an academic advisor. New clubs are always welcome.

ECHS is its own, accredited high school, and students at ECHS receive a standard Oregon diploma.

ECHS is on a trimester schedule, with a new class schedule for students every 12 or 13 weeks.  The daily school schedule is from 8:30 am to 3:25 pm, except for Wednesday late start when school starts at 9:30 am and dismisses at 3:25 pm.

ECHS students do have homework. As part of the preparation for taking college classes as early as the beginning of junior year, students are expected to participate successfully in rigorous high school academic classes which will include homework assignments. It is not unusual for students to report having between 1 and 2 hours of homework each night. Students should not expect to have homework from each class every night, however.