Texas a Leader in Early College High Schools

This month, I announced final approval of 44 Early College High School (ECHS) designations for the 2015-2016 school year.

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.

Under current law, 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 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. Texas remains a national leader in the early college high schools concept and will continue to be as more districts and charters embrace this innovative concept.

Need proof? Well, with these designations, Texas becomes home to 154 ECHS campuses across the state. And you’ll find these innovative schools in school districts of all sizes. You may also be surprised to learn that the largest concentration of these schools can be found in the El Paso region as well as the Rio Grande Valley.

Texas is truly a national leader on this front – and we’re now taking that ECHS leadership to a new level. Four of the new ECHS campuses with a career technical education (CTE) focus have been designated as part of the tri-agency CTE ECHS Initiative by the Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission.

Texas Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes, Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Andres Alcantar and I worked to pilot new ECHS campuses with a primary focus on career technical education. This concept was developed following the passage of House Bill 5 by the Texas Legislature in 2013. School districts and campuses designated as part of the new CTE ECHS Initiative include Alief CTE Early College High School (Alief ISD), H. Grady Spruce High School (Dallas ISD), Odessa College Technical Early College High School (Ector County ISD) and Houston CTE Early College High School (Houston ISD).

Commissioner Alcantar, Commissioner Paredes and I are anxious to see the results as school districts work to develop this new concept. It’s always encouraging to see our school districts take an innovative model – and then work with us to create new opportunities for students.

More information about early college high schools and where they are located can be found on the Texas Education Agency website.

Commissioner of Education Michael Williams