Chinle High honors dual credit students, expands college path for Apache County families

Chinle High School’s Dual Credit Achievement Awards on April 28 showed a payoff that matters well beyond the stage: students in Chinle are earning college credit now, and those credits can count toward both a high school diploma and a later degree. The program links Chinle students with Diné College, Navajo Technical University and Northland Pioneer College, giving Apache County families a faster, lower-cost route into college.

Principal Dr. Raymond Andrade said the long-term goal is for Chinle graduates to leave school not only with a diploma, but with an associate degree within reach. For families weighing the cost of higher education, the difference is concrete. Arizona Department of Education says dual enrollment classes count for both high school and college credit, and students may need to take fewer college classes later because credits can transfer. Under Arizona’s Tribal College Dual Enrollment Program, course costs are free to the student, with participating tribal colleges reimbursed for tuition and fees.

Student Avarose Nieto-Begay said the program proves it is possible to keep up with regular high school classes while doing college work on the side. That message carries weight in Chinle, where students can see a direct path from the classroom to postsecondary credentials without leaving home too early or taking on a full college bill right away.

The support system behind the program was front and center at the ceremony. Fine Arts Instructor Julius Vancruz encouraged more students to sign up for dual enrollment. Navajo Language Instructor Victor Denny praised the way the program gives students a head start on higher education. Counselor Dr. Kenneth Sanford said the pipeline has expanded over time and now includes freshmen, not just upperclassmen, so students can start building credits and confidence earlier. Francetta Begaye, the dual credit program director at Diné College, worked closely with parents and faculty to help students enter the program, complete enrollment and receive credentialed instruction.

The courses can be taught either on a Diné College campus or at Chinle High School, and the subject list is broad enough to fit multiple college paths: English, math, humanities, fine arts, history and science. That makes the program useful not just for students aiming at four-year degrees, but also for those preparing for careers that need postsecondary training and certificates.

Northland Pioneer College, which serves Navajo and Apache counties, says its early college programs oversee dual and concurrent enrollment partnerships with more than 20 local school districts, and its College Credit in High School offerings are open to students age 14 and older. Education Forward Arizona says dual enrollment is a key part of Achieve60AZ, the state goal of getting 60% of adults to postsecondary attainment by 2030, and cites research showing dual enrollment students are more than twice as likely to attend college, stay enrolled, earn high GPAs and graduate with a degree. A similar Chinle celebration in 2025 honored 25 students for academic excellence, showing the school has made college credit a regular part of the pathway, not a one-time recognition.