Old Rochester Regional High School dropouts and at-risk students may soon have a new way to get their high school diploma and even earn college credit.

Principal Mike Devoll is interested in subscribing to Bristol Community College’s Gateway to College and presented the program to the ORR School Committee on Wednesday.

Part of a national program, Gateway to College partners with schools to give students an opportunity to complete the credits needed to graduate high school and to begin working on a degree.

“For many the writing is on the wall. If they’re not on track to graduate, this is an opportunity to get them to graduate,” said Devoll.

Students go through interviews, take placement tests and write essays before being accepted to the program. Once admitted, students attend classes and have one-on-one sessions with staff to make sure they are staying on the right path.

Devoll said there aren’t many students at ORR who dropout or are in danger of not graduating, but there are a few who fall through the cracks every year.

“Were this to be in place last year, we probably would have identified three students who would have been great candidates,” he said.

This year, Devoll said there are “under a handful” that would benefit from the Gateway to College.

If ORR opts into the program, the school would pay $3,500 per student per semester enrolled. Students must provide their own transportation.

The school committee must vote on the decision and members asked for more information at the December meeting, including the program’s success rate, how other area high schools have engaged with the program and what updates are provided to the school.