TEA announces early college high school designations

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Michael Williams today announced final approval of 44 Early College High School (ECHS) designations for the 2015-2016 school year. With these designations, Texas will become home to 154 ECHS campuses across the state.

Early college high schools are innovative high schools that allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and either an associate degree or at least 60 college credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree. Under this model, an ECHS provides dual credit at no cost to students; offers rigorous instruction and accelerated courses; provides academic and social support services to help students succeed; increases college readiness; and reduces barriers to college access.

“School districts continue to see the value in providing an avenue for students to not only earn college credit, but also potentially earn an associate’s degree while still in high school,” said Commissioner Williams. “Texas remains a national leader in the early college high schools and will continue to be as more districts and charters embrace this innovative concept.”

School districts, charters and campuses given final approval for a 2015-2016 ECHS designation include:

Abilene ISD – Holland Medical Early College High School
Alice ISD – Alice Early College High School
Austin ISD – South Austin Early College High School at Travis
Brownsville ISD – Gladys Porter Early College High School
Del Valle ISD – Del Valle Early College High School
Diboll ISD/Hudson ISD/Lufkin ISD – Angelina County Cooperative CTE Early College High School
Dilley ISD – Dilley Early College High School
Ector County ISD – ECISD Early College High School Academy
Fort Worth ISD – Tarrant County College South/Fort Worth ISD Collegiate High School
Freer ISD – Freer Early College High School
Galena Park ISD – Galena Park Career and Technical Early College High School
Grand Prairie ISD – Grand Prairie Early College High School
Grand Prairie ISD – South Grand Prairie Early College High School
Harlingen CISD – Harlingen High School
Harlingen CISD – Harlingen High School South
Hays CISD – Hays Early College High School
Jim Hogg County ISD – Hebbronville Early College High School
Karnes City ISD – Karnes City High School Early College High School
Killeen ISD – Killeen ISD Early College High School
La Vega ISD – La Vega Early College High School
Longview ISD – Longview Early College High School
Miami ISD – Miami High School
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD – Pecos High School
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD – PSJA Elvis J. Ballew High School
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD – PSJA College, Career and Technology Academy
Riviera ISD – Riviera Seahawk Early College Academy
Royal ISD – Royal STEM Academy
San Antonio ISD – Early College Academy at G. W. Brackenridge High School with St. Philip's College
San Diego ISD – San Diego Early College High School
San Felipe Del Rio CISD – Del Rio Early College High School
Slaton ISD – Slaton High School
Socorro ISD – Socorro Early College
South San Antonio ISD – South San Antonio Early College High School
Tioga ISD – Tioga Early College High School
Tyler ISD – Tyler ISD Early College High School
United ISD – United Early College High School
Weslaco ISD – Weslaco Early College High School
Weslaco ISD – Weslaco East Early College High School
West Oso ISD – West Oso High School
Wink-Loving ISD – Wink-Loving Early College Academy


In addition to the ECHS designations listed above, four ECHS campuses with a career technical education (CTE) focus will be designated as part of the tri-agency CTE ECHS Initiative by the Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission. School districts and campuses to be designated as part of the CTE ECHS Initiative include:

Alief ISD – Alief CTE Early College High School
Dallas ISD – H. Grady Spruce High School
Ector County ISD – Odessa College Technical Early College High School
Houston ISD – Houston CTE Early College High School


A school district or charter must obtain an ECHS designation from the Texas Education Agency to allow high school students to enroll in more than two dual credit courses per semester and enroll in dual credit coursework with freshman or sophomore standing.

School districts and charters approved for an ECHS designation must complete technical assistance activities during the spring. In addition, a final, signed memorandum of understanding with an institution of higher education partner must be submitted to TEA before the start of the 2015 school year.

More information about early college high schools can be found on the TEA web site at http://tea.texas.gov/index2.aspx?id=4464&menu_id=814.

http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Press_Releases/2015/TEA_announces_early_college_high_school_designations/

[font color=green]Note: This is a government Website so the four-paragraph limitation does not apply.

Note for parents, if your child is interested in taking dual credit courses please consult the handbook for your local school district. Some districts will not allow children enrolled in dual credit courses to be named as valedictorian or salutatorian upon graduation which may affect affect their eligibility for college scholarships.[/font]