"Middle College is a national treasure; it should be replicated nationwide."
Ernest L. Boyer, President
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

The initial MCHS was conceived and developed at LaGuardia Community College in New York City in 1974 and was designed to proactively address the large number of students that were dropping out of the city's high schools. The model of a high school located on and integrated into the community college environment was developed to lower high dropout rates among what were termed high-ability, at-risk youth.

Noting the positive impact of the LaGuardia model, California educators persuaded state legislators to provide planning and startup funding for two California pilot programs. The two initial sites, at Los Angeles Southwest and Contra Costa community colleges, were founded in 1988.