Texas Education Agency
Overview of Early College High Schools
in Texas
What is an Early College High School (ECHS)?
Early College High Schools are small, innovative high schools that allow students who are least
likely to attend college, an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and two years of college
credit at no cost to the student. Located on or in close proximity to a college campus, Early
College High Schools
ease the transition from high school to college by blending high school and college curriculum
into a cohesive unit. As defined by the Texas Legislature in 2005, Early College High Schools
are for students who are at risk of dropping out of high school or who wish to accelerate
completion of the high school program. The target population includes first-generation collegegoers, low-income students, students of color, and English language learners.
The Early College Model is a relatively new high school model but it is gaining national attention
with the success of these schools and their focus on raising graduation and retention rates in
high school and college. With over 21 schools in operation, the state of Texas is one of the
pioneers of this program.
What differentiates Early College High School from a dual credit program?
Early colleges are different from other dual credit programs in whom they serve and how they
serve that population. A typical dual credit program offers between 12 and 30 hours of college
credit and serves students that have demonstrated readiness for college level work, usually in
the 11th or 12th grade. In contrast, Early Colleges are small high schools focused on a
population of students who would often be lost in transition between high school and college.
Early College High Schools are purposefully designed to provide students with a personalized,
blended, and supportive program that introduces college-level skills and course work in the 9th
or 10th grade.
Early Colleges offer students who would not otherwise consider attending college an opportunity
to earn either an Associate’s degree or up to 60 college credit hours in addition to a high school
diploma. The success of the Early College High School model depends on providing rigor with
support. Students are placed in a rigorous academic environment where they may take
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and dual credit classes. At the same time,
students are provided with a series of support structures, including counseling, mentoring, and
tutoring designed to help them succeed. The overall goal of Early College High Schools is to
create a seamless transition between high school and college by compressing the timeline for
and increasing opportunities to obtain a college degree.
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Why is the Early College High School model successful?
An Early College High School requires a district to partner with an institution of higher education
to design a school that transforms the traditional curriculum sequence and modes of instruction
to allow for a closer alignment between high school and college. By working in close
partnership, school districts and institutions of higher education are able to serve students in a
more personalized and efficient manner that leads to higher levels of student success. Working
in close partnership requires and creates:
Shared Vision & Understanding of Roles & Responsibilities
 Expectations for students and parents
 Memorandum of Understanding between education partners
Culture of Learning and Support
 Focus on rigorous instruction and accelerated coursework
 Build a college-going culture by providing high school students with access to college
facilities and services
 Provide student support systems: tutoring and counseling, small learning
communities
 Support for collaborative teaching and professional development
Focus on Outcomes
 Increase high school graduation and retention for students are risk of not graduating
 Reduce barriers to college access for first-generation college-goers
 Increase attainment of postsecondary education and training
Early Data about Texas Early College High Schools
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To date, the Texas Education Agency has provided $6.4 million in competitive grants to
open Early Colleges across the state.
There are 21 Early Colleges operating in Texas:
o 12 Early Colleges are all rated Academically Acceptable or higher: 4 are
Exemplary, 3 are Recognized and 5 are Acceptable.
o These 12 schools are commended in all core subject areas.
o The remaining 9 Early Colleges are in their first year of operation and do not yet
have campus ratings.
o Challenge Early College High School, which opened in 2004, was the first Early
College in Texas.
o Houston ISD in partnership with Houston Community College has committed to
opening 5 Early Colleges. In fall 2007, Houston passed a bond that will provide
support for these schools.
o Hidalgo High School, an ECHS in Hidalgo ISD, ranked number 11 on the U.S.
News and World Report’s list of Top 100 Gold Medal Schools.
The average daily attendance across the 12 schools that have been in operation for a
year or more is 97%.
Early College High Schools are one of the key initiatives under the Texas High School Project (THSP), a
more than $300 million public-private initiative committed to increasing graduation and college enrollment
rates in Texas. THSP organizations include the Office of the Governor, the Texas Education Agency, the
Communities Foundation of Texas, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell
Foundation, and others. www.thsp.org
For more information about Early College High School from a national perspective, visit http://
www.earlycolleges.org
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