Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)

Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) are innovative open-enrollment high schools that allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity to receive both a high school diploma and a credential and/or an associate degree. The hallmark of the P-TECH model is its career focus and the provision of work-based education. P-TECH programs:

• Enroll historically underserved students, targeting at-risk and economically disadvantaged 
• Provide students grade 9 through 12 the opportunity to complete a course of study that combines high school and post-secondary courses
• Enable students to earn a high school diploma, along with an associate degree, Level 1 or Level 2 certificate, or industry-based certification within six years
• Offer age-appropriate work-based learning opportunity in every grade level
• Allow students to gain work experience through an internship, apprenticeship, or other job training program
• Align to regional workforce needs, guiding students into high-demand, high-wage careers
• Partner with Texas Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and regional businesses and industries, giving students access to post-secondary education and workforce training opportunities

The P-TECH Blueprint provides foundational principles and standards for innovative partnerships with colleges, universities, and industry. The P-TECH Blueprint contains six benchmarks outlining the design elements that each P-TECH campus must implement before serving students. Additionally, outcome-based measures in Access, Attainment, and Achievement provide guidance for P-TECH program implementation and continuous improvement efforts. 

P-TECH Designation

Under the authority of the Texas Education Code (TEC) §§29.551-29.557 and the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1095, the TEA developed a designation process for the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program.  This designation process ensures that public school districts, local education agencies (LEAs), and charter schools operating P-TECH campuses maintain the integrity of the model, which was researched and designated to target and serve students who might not otherwise attend college. 

Nearly 6,500 students are served by P-TECH schools. Texas is home to 62 designated P-TECH Schools and has 19 planning campuses for the 2019-2020 academic year. Access to the CCRSM interactive map to locate P-TECHs across Texas HERE. 

• 2019-2020 Designated P-TECH Schools (PDF)
• 2018-2019 Designated P-TECH Schools (PDF)
• 2018-2019 Planning P-TECH Schools (PDF)

Designation Process

To launch a P-TECH program, a district must submit a Planning Year Application to be eligible to open a new P-TECH campus, become a member of the the of the TEA's official planning year cohort, and begin serving students the following academic year. 

The P-TECH Planning Year Application is open throughout the fall semester. Eligible Districts are notified of their status in the spring to provide 12-18 months of P-TECH planning. Over the course of the planning year, the P-TECH leadership team will receive technical assistance to meet P-TECH Blueprint requirements via an assigned technical assistance coach. By the end of the planning year, all design elements contained in the six Benchmarks should be embedded into school structures. 

After meeting the design elements of the P-TECH Blueprint, the P-TECH is ready to serve students and may apply for Provisional Designation. New P-TECHs remain Provisional for four years and are held accountable to Provisional Outcomes-Based Measures (OBM) during this time. The TEA will provide technical assistance to the P-TECH leadership team to promote implementation of the P-TECH model with fidelity. Each year, the TEA will provide OBM data for informational purposes, throughout the Provisional phase so that P-TECHs can respond to challenges and be ready to meet Designated P-TECH OBM criteria. 

At the end of the 4th year, the P-TECH must apply for Designation status and must meet the state's Designated OBM criteria. TEA requires Designation renewal annually for each P-TECH campus. 

Note: TEA is currently in a phase-in process for the new P-TECH Blueprint. All data are for information and planning purposes only. This information will not be used to determine designation status. 

Laws and Rules

The following laws and rules related to P-TECH programs are available below:

• General Appropriations Act, Article III, Rider 66, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019
• Texas Education Code (TEC) §§29.551-29.557
• Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1095. Chapter 102 Educational Programs Subchapter GG. Commissioner's Rules Concerning Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools.

2019-2020 P-TECH and New Tech Campuses Who Qualify for HB 3 Incentive Funding

Texas is home to 63 designated Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools who qualify for HB 3 incentive funding in 2019-2020.

P-TECH Advisory Council

The Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) Advisory Council established in TEC §29.552 (SB 22, 85th Texas Legislature, 2017) has members appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker. The appointees represent school districts/open-enrollment charter schools, institutions of higher education, and business and industry. The Advisory Council is charged with making recommendations to the Commissioner of Education on:

• the establishment and administration of the P-TECH program; and
• the criteria for a campus's designation as a P-TECH school under Section 29.556.

P-TECH Advisory Council Meeting Agenda (PDF), March 9, 2020
P-TECH Advisory Council Meeting Agenda (PDF), April 19, 2018

P-TECH Blueprint Revision

TEA anticipates launching a comprehensive revision process of the P-TECH Blueprint in 2021-22 and will seek broad stakeholder input. For more information on the timeline for future P-TECH Blueprint revisions, sign up for our CCRSM Newsletter.