A Jump-Start on Education : * Students from junior high to 12th grade can take courses at nine local community colleges--for free.

Call it the fast track to college or just an antidote to boredom.

Students--from junior high through 12th grade--who are capable of pursu ing college-level work can take courses at any of the nine Los Angeles community colleges, free of charge.

This is not a program for the precocious few, said Yasmin Delahoussaye, director of school relations at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. It is open to all junior and senior high school students of public and private schools. All they need is the signature of a counselor or principal verifying that they are capable of benefiting from taking community college courses. The program also is offered at Mission College in Sylmar and Valley College in Van Nuys.

Students enroll in anything they want, from freshman English to physics, string instruments or physical education--and get college credit. Those who take a course or two every semester over several years can enter college with sophomore standing, saving time and money and allowing them to pursue their interests at a faster pace. And courses completed count just like the coveted “advanced placement” honors high school classes, a great way to get AP credit without having to take the special exam, Delahoussaye said.

Kate Noah, 12, of Reseda, has finished three semesters of choir and music courses at Pierce. “I like the classes. They don’t feel too hard, and I wasn’t scared,” she said.

Kate’s 14-year-old sister, Amanda, has taken classes at Pierce for seven semesters, including violin and art, and has joined the Pierce College orchestra. At first, Amanda was worried that she would stand out as especially young to the other students.

“In the beginning, I was afraid to talk to people and some would ask me how old I was, but everyone was nice and helpful,” Amanda said.

The average age of the general student body at Pierce is 26, so there can be a down side to being less mature than the other students. Amanda recently decided to drop out of a life drawing class after learning that the next week’s assignment would be to draw a nude male model.

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“She just wasn’t ready for that,” said her mother, Karin, who has home-schooled both daughters. But the experience has been terrific, she said. “By the time they graduate from high school, they’ll be halfway through college.”

Aclia Khan, 17, has attended Pierce for three years, completing courses in biology, chemistry, English and political science, while also a student at Valley Alternative Magnet School in Van Nuys. With a 3.8-grade point average at Pierce, she is on the dean’s list, and loves it.

“It’s a challenge, different from high school because you learn more,” she said.

Valley Alternative has a shuttle service to Pierce, allowing 65 10th- to 12th-grade students to regularly pursue community college courses as part of their high school experience, said Susan Garcia-Phillips, the magnet coordinator. The younger students usually start with physical education and health, then begin more rigorous work, such as math, science and accounting.

The rules at Pierce are more stringent than at many secondary schools. Students can miss only one hour of class for every course unit they are carrying, and teachers can drop a student if that limit is exceeded. The faculty does not coddle the younger students--they are not even told that a junior high or high school student is enrolled in their classes, Delahoussaye said.

Students interested in enrolling at Pierce fill out an application and may be asked to take an assessment test before taking their first math or English class. They also meet with a counselor, who can explain the routine and answer questions before they register. While courses are free, students must pay a $7.50 health fee, which allows them to use the health center on campus, and buy their own books and supplies. Courses are available to students year-round, including summer.

“This is where kids will find enrichment,” Delahoussaye said. “It’s one of the greatest bargains in education anywhere.”

WHERE TO GO

What: The Concurrent Enrollment Program.

Location: Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills.

Call: Yasmin Delahoussaye, director of school relations, (818) 719-6406. Pierce counseling office is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: Valley College, 5800 Fulton Ave., Van Nuys.

Call: Office of school relations, (818) 781-1200.

Location: Mission College, Hubbard Street and Eldridge Avenue, Sylmar.

Call: Office of school relations, (818) 364-7600.