Dallas ISD is expanding opportunities for students to graduate high school with a college degree prepared to enter their chosen career. In fall 2016, the district will expand its early college high school model by adding eight new collegiate academies.
In recognition of Early College High School Week, which is March 21–25, here are six great things an early college high school allows students to do:
- Earn an Associate of Applied Science degree tuition free while in high school;
- Earn as many as 60 hours of tuition-free college credit as a high school student;
- Eliminate thousands of dollars in college tuition costs by earning college credit hours while in high school;
- Start college at a four-year university already having completed two years in high school, thereby earning a four-year degree in less time than their peers;
- Enter the job market with a work-ready skill upon completion of high school;
- Become familiar with the effort required to successfully complete college level coursework while a high school student.
The collegiate academies are designed to serve incoming ninth-grade students who have the determination to attend college, are first-generation college students, and have been historically underrepresented in higher education. Each collegiate academy will accept 100 ninth-grade students per year. The collegiate academy model begins at ninth grade, and students will only be accepted into the program as freshmen. They will move together as a cohort as they progress through high school.
Each collegiate academy will have a higher education partner and offer its own academic pathway leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. The career pathways available to students will range from health sciences, information technology and cyber security to culinary arts, animal sciences, law enforcement, and others.
Dallas ISD this week launched a new collegiate academy website. Visit the website here.
