Early College Alliance ^(sm)

The Early College Alliance (ECA) is a unique educational program designed to fully immerse high school-aged students into the post-secondary learning environment. The ECA expects high achievement and realistic planning from all students. ECA students finish high school with a combination of their prior high school classes (if applicable), ECA high school classes, and Eastern Michigan University coursework. Beginning in their 10th or 11th grade year, and upon successfully demonstrating the academic and “soft skills” necessary to succeed in college, ECA students have the opportunity to earn up to 65 EMU credits—the tuition and books paid for by the program.

Successful ECA students must be willing to take responsibility for their own effort, education, and behavior. There are no bells, hall monitors, or daily announcements to keep them on track. At both the Early College Alliance and Eastern Michigan University there are many requirements and deadlines for students to meet and be responsible for. Students are expected to learn how to make smart, sound choices that benefit their learning and success in life. Students learn how to monitor their own educational progress, advocate for their unique learning needs, and successfully negotiate their way through the post-secondary environment.

 
Early College Alliance Academy

The Early College Alliance Academy (ECA2 or Academy) is a 9th grade program designed to prepare students for the rigors of the Early College Alliance (ECA). The Academy develops appropriate social-emotional skills and high achievement of both academic and soft skills in students. Academy students will generally be restricted from enrolling in university courses during their 9th grade year and will move as a cohort through the 9th grade experience. Academy students will begin the process of developing the skills needed to successfully transition into the standard ECA program in their 10th grade year, where they will continue as indicated in their individualized Educational Development Plans.

Successful Academy students learn to take responsibility for their own efforts, education, and behavior within our community. There are no bells, hall monitors, or daily intercom announcements to keep them on track. Students are expected to learn how to make smart, sound choices that benefit their learning and success in life and are taught the tools and skills needed to succeed in the larger community.

The ECA Way: Mission, Vision, Values

At the ECA, we emphasize access to college for all, recognizing the special role of the early college reform movement in facilitating this access for all students—particularly those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. 

Our program is built on the principles of innovation, critical and reflective practice, & high expectations for students and staff alike. 

Key features of the ECA include the direct teaching and learning of soft skills, mastery learning, flexible programming, choice theory, and strong partnerships with our districts and Eastern Michigan University. 

VISION: The vision of the ECA is to bridge the gap between high school and college, enhancing life outcomes while fostering a democratic society. 

MISSION: The mission of the ECA is to empower high school students from diverse backgrounds to earn up to 65 university credits toward a Bachelor's Degree. 

VALUES:  The values of the ECA are Social Justice, Strong and Supportive Relationships, Diversity, Growth Mindset, and Individualized Pathways.

ECA Admission & Lottery

If the number of eligible enrollees for any district during the Enrollment window exceeds the number of available openings, a lottery will be conducted to determine the 2025 Fall cohort for that district. The lottery will be conducted in accordance with the enrollment policies and procedures as developed and approved by the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium Joint Steering Committee (WEOC JSC). Letters will be sent to all applicants notifying them of their status.

Students who submit an enrollment application after the initial lottery will be processed according to their identified ECA District’s availability.

Please note: All students/applicants selected in the initial lottery are provisionally accepted into the ECA program. Final acceptance/approval is granted by Eastern Michigan University and the student’s ECA District’s Administration upon receipt of all required registration documents.

Students who are not initially accepted into the ECA District of their choice have the option to participate in the ECA School of Choice Pool. Participation in the ECA School of Choice Pool can potentially maximize the probability of acceptance. By completing this form you acknowledge that the student is willing to enroll through a district that participates in the School of Choice Pool (Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, Whitmore Lake, and Ypsilanti) that has available openings.

Students who apply to the ECA through the School of Choice option as a new student in one of the ECA districts are subject to final approval from the district’s superintendent. All required registration documents must be submitted directly to the ECA during the district’s School of Choice window.

The number of available slots for each ECA district is determined by the policies set forth by the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium Joint Steering Committee. For purposes of the initial lottery, 30% of a district’s initial available slot allocations are reserved for applicants who receive or are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Eligibility verification will be required.

The number of slots listed below for each district is an approximation and is subject to change by the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium Joint Steering Committee (WEOC JSC) without notice.

If a district does not use all of its available slots the remaining slots can be re-apportioned to the other districts.

Eighth, Ninth and Tenth grade applicants on the waitlist for the 25-26 enrollment cycle will be given first preference for the 2026 Fall cohort.

Who is Eligible to Apply to the ECA?

To be eligible to enroll in the ECA in the 2025-2026 academic year you must meet the following criteria:

• Students who, as of November 2024, are 8th, 9th, or 10th grade high school students – Home School, Parochial, Private, or Charter School students are also eligible.
• Students must be residents of the State of Michigan.
• Students must be at least thirteen (13) years of age by August 31, 2025.
• Student cannot be in the United States under a J-1 Visa. 

If you have questions regarding your student’s eligibility please contact the ECA at (734) 487-4290.

Enrollment Numbers by District

The following chart indicates the number of available ECA slots for each participating district for the 2025-2026 school year.

Early College Alliance

Application for the 2025-2026 school year

Thank you for your interest in our program!

Before you begin:

Open the following forms/documents. You will need to complete or fill these out and upload them in the course of the application.

• Enrollment Essay Instructions
• Affirmation of Prior Discipline Form
• EMU Application for Enrollment for ECA Students

You will also need to upload:

• The student's most recent grade report, transcript, or report card
• A copy of the student's 504 Plan or IEP, if applicable

Our application involves three steps:

Step 1 - Complete the ECA application via Jotform (current website).

Step 2 - Upload your docs. Submit all student support documents via Jotform. You must upload:

• Student's completed Enrollment Essay
• Student's most recent grade report, transcript, or report card (can be a page from PowerSchool or other Student Information System). A final official transcript will be required prior to the start of the 25-26 school year.
• Completed Affirmation of Prior Discipline form (top half only).
• Copy of Parent/Guardian ID (Driver's License or State ID)
• Student's Birth Certificate
• Student's Complete Immunization Record (or current waiver)
• Student & Parent's Residency document(s) - i.e. current lease agreement, mortgage statement, property tax bill, utility bills, etc.

All of these documents must be submitted in order to be considered for final acceptance to ECA.  You can save and continue your progress if needed.  

Step 3 - Complete the EMU Application for ECA Enrollment and upload it via Jotform. 

Click the "next" button to navigate through these steps. Please contact Mrs. Jackson at 734.487.4290 or jackson@earlycollegealliance.info if you have questions.

Applications received by Friday, February 21, 2025, will be entered into the initial enrollment lottery. Applications will continue to be accepted for any remaining available enrollment slots, based on district slot availability.

Student Information

If your responses to question 1 and question 2 are not ECA Districts you will need to choose an ECA District to enroll in:

• Lincoln
• Manchester
• Milan
• Whitmore Lake
• Van Buren
• Ypsilanti Community Schools

NOTE: Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, and Saline School Districts do not participate in the School of Choice Program.

Your official ECA District is Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, or Saline ONLY if you currently attend or reside in the Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, and Saline Districts.

ECA School of Choice Pool

Students who are not initially accepted into the ECA District of their choice have the option to participate in the ECA School of Choice (SOC) Pool. Participation in the ECA School of Choice Pool can potentially maximize the probability of acceptance. By clicking "Yes" below you acknowledge that the student is willing to enroll through a district that participates in the School of Choice Pool (Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, Whitmore Lake, and Ypsilanti) that has available openings and will remain a member of that district for the 2025-2026 school year.

PLEASE NOTE: If you currently attend a Private, Charter, Online, Homeschool or have previously School of Choice'd into a district and are going back to a local home district, you may be asked (after the lottery has been conducted) to also register your student with their local district high school.

Without the student being registered with their local high school, the student will be unable to attend the ECA and thus can be dropped and their spot offered to the next student on the waitlist.

Other Student Information

The information requested below assists ECA in a variety of ways including but not limited to data analysis, marketing and funding. The information that you provide will be kept in confidence and considered part of your student’s record and therefore not subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Step 2: Upload your Documents - Required

Please make sure you are submitting:

• A copy of the student's completed Enrollment Essay. Click here to open the instructions for the Enrollment Essay,
• Student's most recent grade report, transcript, or report card (can be a page from PowerSchool or other Student Information System). A final official transcript will be required prior to the start of the 25-26 school year.
• An Affirmation of Prior Discipline form. Click here to open the Affirmation of Prior Discipline form. 
• Copy of Parent/Guardian ID (Driver's License or State ID)
  
• Student's Birth Certificate
  
• Student's Complete Immunization Record (or current waiver)
  
• Student & Parent's Residency document(s) - i.e. current lease agreement, mortgage statement, property tax bill, utility bills, etc.

All of these documents must be submitted in order to be considered for final acceptance to ECA. You can save and continue your progress if needed.  

Upload the listed items in the appropriate sections below.

Step 3: EMU Application for ECA Enrollment

Eastern Michigan University requires a separate application so that future ECA students can become officially dual-enrolled at EMU. 

Navigate to this fillable document EMU Application for ECA Enrollment (EMU Application). Download and complete the form, save it, then upload it below.

Applications received by Friday, February 21, 2025, will be entered into the initial enrollment lottery. Applications will continue to be accepted for any remaining available enrollment slots, based on district slot availability. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Jackson at jackson@earlycollegealliance.info.