Industry Cluster Innovative Academy

Industry Cluster Innovative Academies are open-enrollment secondary schools that offer career pathways based on high-demand local workforce need and focus on graduating students with industry certification(s) and 60 hours of college credit and/or an Associate’s degree by the time they graduate from high school.

Launched in 2017, the Industry Cluster Innovative Academies partner with institutions of higher education and local businesses to design pathways that lead to opportunities in high-demand occupations in the targeted industry clusters of:

• Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing
• Aerospace and Defense
• Biotechnology and Life Sciences (Includes Health Care)
• Energy
• Information and Computer Technology
• Petroleum Refining and Chemical Products

Industry Cluster Innovative Academies provide applied learning opportunities for students including internships, externships, apprenticeships, mentorship programs, and career counseling so that students receive rigorous instruction in academics and career and technology education (CTE) coursework and have the option to earn a baccalaureate degree within two-three years after high school graduation.

The Industry Cluster Innovative Academy Initiative is part of the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative and addresses the goal of meeting local workforce needs.

 Grants

TEA released a competitive grant application to fund the Industry Cluster Innovative Academy initiative in September 2016 and announced the awardees in December 2016. The grant period is 2/1/17-5/30/18. Additional information regarding the grant requirements may be found at TEA Grants Search Page (scroll down to find 2016-2018 INDUSTRY CLUSTER NAME Innovative Academy - the Next Generation of ECHS).

A total of $7.2 million in grant funding was made available by the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative members including: Texas Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Current grantees:

• Alief ISD-Alief Biotechnology & Life Science Innovative Academy

• Angelina County Cooperative Early College High School-Central ISD, Diboll ISD, Hudson ISD, Huntington ISD, Lufkin ISD and Zavalla ISD

• Austin ISD-Reagan Early College High School

• Austin ISD-Lyndon Baines Johnson Early College High School

• Beaumont ISD-Austin Innovation Center Petroleum Refining Academy

• Connally ISD-Connally Career Tech Early College High School

• Dallas ISD-North Dallas High School

• Dallas ISD-W.H. Adamson High School

• Dallas ISD-Justin F. Kimball High School

• DeSoto ISD-DeSoto Early College High School ISD

• Freer ISD-Freer High School

• Grand Prairie ISD-Biotechnology & Life Sciences Academy

• Houston Community College-Raul Yzaguirre School For Success

• Judson ISD-Judson High School Early College High School

• Manor ISD-Manor High School Career and Technical Education Center

• Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD-Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High School

• United ISD-John B. Alexander High School

• West Oso ISD-West Oso Early College High School

Download a copy of the Industry Cluster Innovative Academy presentation (PDF) from August 1, 2017.