Smithfield — The Johnston County Board of Education agreed last week to open an Early College high school on the campus of Johnston Community College.

Early College high schools let students take their classes on a community college campus. Students graduate in five years with a high school diploma and an associate degree or two years’ credit for college transfer.

The program would be similar to Johnston County’s Middle College High School, which opened for juniors and seniors at Johnston Community College two years ago.

“This is just another option to put out there where every student can find a niche in being successful and completing high school,” said curriculum chief Keith Beamon.

Beamon said the Early College concept was designed to aid students who might not have the money for college and who wouldn’t mind missing out on the traditional trappings of high school.

Beamon said Johnston’s Early College would give priority to low-income students who would be the first in their families to go to college.

School board members had worried about having 14-year-old students on a college campus, but Beamon said students would take most of their classes in a few classrooms in the college’s Smith Building.

“We’re going to make sure the ones who are freshmen are going to be mature enough to handle this,” added Superintendent Anthony Parker.

Students would take their classes from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m.

Board member Donna White said having freshmen at a college had been her main concern. But White said she ultimately decided to support the plan as a tool that could help more students graduate.

Jack O’Hale cast the lone vote against the proposal. He said he thought the college should be taking on such a project on its own. He said he would prefer that the public schools use their money on reducing class sizes in the high schools.