Virtual Early College High School
Presidio Independent School District
Dennis McEntire and Guadalupe Singh
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Dan Keast and David Watts
National Conference on early College High School
The Challenge
• West Texas
– Size of Georgia
– Vast distances: 230 miles from Presidio to Odessa
– Changing demographics
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Small population: 400,000
Majority Mexican-American districts
English as second language
Low socio-economic characteristics combined with oil boom.
– School districts that underperform Texas
– College-going rate underperforms Texas
The Early College High School:
Remote High Schools Need Not Apply
• In the past, the ECHS had to be on the postsecondary institution campus or a school
within a school or the entire high school near
a college campus.
– Requires proximity so ECHS students can
experience the higher education institution;
– College faculty need to be able to commute to the
ECHS.
Rural Texas
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1,265 districts in Texas; 448 are rural (35%).
33 (19 rural) districts in Region 18; 12 (3 rural)
in Region 19.
Dual credit and Texas Virtual School Network
(TxVSN).
• ECHS is more than dual credit.
Texas Institutions of Higher Education
Midland/Odessa
Region 18 l
District
Presidio
Online Education
• U.S. Dept of Education meta-analysis found
online instruction more effective than face to
face and less effective than blended.
• Online education is thought to not be effective
for young people.
• Our experience is that high school students
can focus and concentrate better with online.
• Who do you turn to for help with smart phone
or computer?
Presidio ISD Vision
Four Tier Program Options
Early College High School
Dual Credit base
Four Year IHE Partner
All TSTEM Pathways available
Goal: Diploma and Associates Degree, Designated College Major
Early Career and Certification High School
Dual Credit and Blended Base
Two Year IHE Partner
TSTEM Pathways Career Specific
Goal: Diploma and Industry Certification, Possible Post Secondary
and/or industry training
Vision(cont.)
General Studies
Traditional Class Base
High School Stand Alone
All TSTEM Pathways Available
Goal: High School Diploma and possible post secondary continuation
Credit Recovery and Adult Diploma Program
All available resources
Primary program is self paced computer courses with support
Some traditional classes and blended format classes
Goal: Diploma or GED
The Presidio Early College High School
Begin As Freshmen in High School
Preparation Begins in the 8th grade with ACT testing and College writing.
TSI Compliant or working on it.
All students are eligible; must sign a contract with parents.
Key elements are no absence, no tardy, no work accepted late and no discipline issues
once in the program, complete parent involvement.
All Dual Credit Course are on-line with Presidio Support.
Course articulation created by UTPB/Presidio Collaboration.
No cost to student
Dual Credit Students Meet in Multiple classes each day with staff support
Daily Monitoring first two years
Before and after school support
School within a school format
All core courses taken with ECHS designated faculty
Dedicated Administration and parent involvement staff
PISD/UTPB PARTNERSHIP:
WHAT WE DO.
• Freshmen take one university course per
semester online.
• Freshmen are coached by both UTPB and PISD.
– English composition team
– Trips to Presidio and weekend workshops at UTPB
• University instructors are aware of and
responsive to differences in the two academic
calendars.
– E.g., No pass no play
What We Do:
Summer and Other Bridges
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Introduction to the university campus
Application and testing
Faculty and Advising
Campus housing
and food service
What We Do
• PISD faculty professional development at
UTPB
• UTPB faculty travel to Presidio
– Biology faculty
– Composition faculty
– Dr. Keast: Music course
What We Do: Budget, Travel and Staff
Presidio Budget
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Fourth poorest school in Texas
98% Free and reduced lunch
64% true poverty level
74% ELL
The budget must be no more than what it would cost to educate mainstream high
school students.
Must be allocated from existing budget.
ECHS population divided by high school total population equals percentage ECHS of
the HS population.
That percentage of the total high school budget becomes the ECHS budget on a yearly
basis. (including Extra curricular, technology, staff, support services)
Example: Total High School population: 400 students
ECHS Population: 100 Students (25%)
High School Budget 2.0 Million
ECHS Budget: $500,000.00
The difference is the cost per course and books.
this can be offset by a reduction in staff needs over time.
Travel
• Three one day trips per semester for registration, counseling and faculty
conferences
• Two one day trips per semester for extracurricular involvement
• Three week long summer bridge trips for extension instruction,
internships and college experiences.
• Existing staff and Trained Parents travel with the students minimizing staff
costs.
• The cost of these trips is roughly equal to a high school basketball game
trip. (possibly a little cheaper due to the use of parent trip sponsors)
Mileage the same, fuel and vehicle the same, food the same, staff
cheaper)
Presidio ISD Staff
• Principal
• Parent Liaison/Secretary
• Three core teachers (One of them a lead
teacher)
• Two Paraprofessionals (course support)
• All other faculty and staff are shared with the
regular high school
Meadows Foundation:
Budget, Travel and Staff
• Meadows Foundation of Dallas, TX provides
start-up support.
• Contributes to travel and staff.
Outcome Measures
Beginning student numbers
Graduating student numbers
Number of courses completed
Percentage passing rate/completion rate
Percentage post secondary begin/completion
Number of trips per year
Cost per student
Hub and Spoke Model
• UTPB as hub reaching out to remote districts
– Presidio- 230 miles
– Andrews- 40 miles
– Rankin- 67 miles
– Balmorhea- 119 miles
– Marfa- 176 miles
– Terlingua- 232 miles
How It Works
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Blackboard as LMS
Train student early on course navigation
5+ face to face visits
HS freshmen vs. university freshmen
Join us for Jazz, Pop and Rock
Contact
• Dennis McEntire, Superintendent, Presidio ISD
dmcentire@presidio-isd.net
• Guadalupe Singh, Associate Superintendent,
PISD gsingh@presidio-isd.net
• Dan Keast, Associate Professor and Head of
Music Program, UT Permian Basin
keast_d@utpb.edu
• David Watts, President UT Permian Basin
watts_d@utpb.edu