By MDA Staff Writer | September 21, 2026
SHELBY, Miss. — Sixteen Northside High School students have enrolled in the first Middle College cohort offered through the school’s partnership with Coahoma Community College.
The program expands Northside’s dual-enrollment opportunities, allowing eligible students to undertake college-level studies while completing their high-school coursework.
School counselor Rita Jones-Smith said the partnership is part of a districtwide effort to provide additional academic and career-readiness pathways. Northside had offered dual enrollment before the current school year, but the new cohort represents an expansion of that work.
Participating students must satisfy enrollment requirements established by both the high school and college. Northside’s requirements include a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, completion of required end-of-course assessments and evidence of academic readiness.
School officials also expect participants to demonstrate responsibility and manage the demands of high-school and college coursework simultaneously. Students are encouraged to remain organized and communicate regularly with instructors at both institutions.
In addition to earning credit, the program is intended to help students become familiar with college expectations before graduating from high school. That experience may ease the transition into a postsecondary degree or career-training program.
Northside and Coahoma officials hope the initial 16-student cohort will establish a foundation for broader participation in future years.
Photo courtesy of: Northside High School
Source: Detailed partnership report