Unique Attributes:

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• Mott Middle/Early College is located on the campus of Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan
• Students can graduate with a high school diploma and work toward a Mott Community College Associates Degree in a program of their choice.
• All Mott Middle/Early College graduates are required to complete a 60 hour unpaid work internship for graduation.
• All Mott Middle/Early College graduates must complete a portfolio and present it to a committee prior to graduation.
• The Mott Middle/Early College school year is divided into five marking periods that are approximately eight weeks in length.
• Every Mott Middle/Early College student will graduate with at least 3 college credits, tuition covered by Mott Middle/Early College based on successful completion.
• Every Mott Middle/Early College staff member is a teacher, and every teacher serves as an advisor for a small group of students called a Focus Group.
• All faculty members have completed collective staff development around the mission of the school i.e.: Choice Theory, Discipline with Dignity, Brain Research, Understanding Learning Styles, Mastery Learning, Cooperative Learning, Understanding Literacy, Authentic Assessment, and Accountable Talk/Reflection.
• The Mott Middle/Early College grading system is based on two principles: 

Grades are never used as punishment

Grades reflect cumulative learning

• A Fresh Start Toward a Successful Future is made real by the practice of wiping each students ninth grade GPA clean.
• Mott Middle/Early College only accepts transfer courses for grades with a C or higher, other courses with a grade of a “D” are brought in as credit only, courses with a grade of D- are not accepted. 
• Mott Middle/Early College is grounded in the Mastery Learning concept, which grades students with A, B, C, I (Incomplete) or N/C, “No Credit” (student must take the class or replacement again).  This means Mott Middle/Early College students will not graduate with a GPA lower than 2.0.
• Students may continue to work on any “I’s” for four weeks following the end of a term.  After four weeks, a “No Credit” or new grade is issued.
• Mott Middle/Early College is a research driven school and uses instruments that measure personal and academic growth.  These instruments are given as pre and post assessments (post assessments are required to graduate) to measure growth over the length of participation in the Mott Middle/Early College program. 
• Mott Middle/Early College assesses each student for their learning style and left/right/whole brain tendency for two reasons, 1). to help the student better understand how they think and learn, and 2.) to assist teachers is creating and delivering curriculum.
• New students must attend a summer seminar for high school success called THE GAPS PROGRAM.  This experience introduces them to the mission, guidelines, practices and beliefs of the Mott Middle/Early College community.