Charter school in Providence, R.I., focuses on nursing

From The Providence Journal: Officials gathered at the Providence, R.I., campus of Roger Williams University to officially open the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter. The school opened with more than 130 students from 23 school districts. The Nurses Institute is the first middle college in the nation that has a focus on nursing, according to the school’s founders. The institute enrolls 10th graders in a four-year program, including a “13th year,” which enables students to take math and science programs and college classes for credit. The goal is to prepare students for two- and four-year nursing programs at area colleges. The middle college is a fairly new concept in education. The idea is to smooth the way between high school and college by introducing students to college-level work and letting them earn college credits.