Early College High School (ECHS)

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Early College High Schools (ECHS) are open-enrollmentÌýhigh schools that allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity to receive both a high school diploma and either an associate degree or at least 60 credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree. Early College High Schools:

  • Enroll Historically underserved students, targeting at-risk and economically disadvantagedÌý
  • Provide dual credit at no cost to students
  • Offer rigorous instruction and accelerated courses
  • Provide academic and social support services to help students succeed
  • Provide students with highly personalized attention
  • Increase college readiness
  • Partner with ɬÀï·¬ institutions of higher education (IHEs) to reduce barriers to college access

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

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Learn more about becoming a Designated ECHSÌýCampus.

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The Learning Community is a network for our CCRSM campuses to interact.

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This dynamic experience allows users to see exampleÌýproducts and resources aligned to the Blueprint.

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ECHS Grant Opportunities

Learn more about ECHSÌýgrants available through TEA.

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Access the ɬÀï·¬ CCRSM School Locator Map.

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Description:

The following laws and rules related to ECHSÌýprograms are available below:

  • General Appropriations Act, Article III, Rider 48, 86th ɬÀï·¬ Legislature 2019
  • ,ÌýChapter 102 Educational Programs, Subchapter GG, Commissioner's Rules Concerning Early College High Schools
  • ɬÀï·¬ Administrative Code ; Dual Credit

Description:

Under the authority of ɬÀï·¬ Education Code Ìýand ɬÀï·¬ Administrative Code , the ɬÀï·¬developed a designation process for Early College High Schools. The designation process ensures that districts and colleges operating ECHS campusesÌýmaintain the integrity of the model, which was researched and designed to target and serve students who might not otherwise attend college.Ìý

Nearly 65,000 students are served by Early College High Schools.ÌýɬÀï·¬ is home to 182Ìýdesignated Early College High Schools and has 12Ìýcampuses in planning for the 2019-2020Ìýacademic school year.ÌýAccess the CCRSM interactive map to locate ECHSs across ɬÀï·¬ .Ìý

Description:

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

The ECHS 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 ECHS planning. Over the course of the planning year, the ECHS Leadership Team will receive technical assistance to meet ECHS Blueprint requirements via an assigned technical assistance coach. By the end of the planning year, all design elements contained in the sixÌýBenchmarks should be embedded into school structures.Ìý

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

At the end of the 4th year, the ECHS must apply for Designation status and must meet the state's Designated OBM criteria. ɬÀï·¬requires Designation renewal annually for each ECHS Campus. Campuses that meet the Distinguished OBM criteria for any of the three OBM categories of Access, Attainment, and Achievement will receive one or more Distinctions.Ìý

Note: ɬÀï·¬is currently in a phase-in process for the new ECHS Blueprint. All data are for information and planning purposes only. This information will not be used to determine designation status.Ìý

T-STEM Designation Process
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Revision Timeline:

In the 2019-2020 school year, ɬÀï·¬engaged in a blueprint revision process to secure stakeholder input regarding the ECHS Blueprint. CCRSM Network members participated in landscape surveys, focus groups, and provided feedback on draft versions via public comment. The updated ECHS Blueprint released in August 2020 represents the culmination of learnings and insights provided by early college leaders and their collegiate partners across the state of ɬÀï·¬.

Network Engagement - Fall 2019

Implementation Year - 2020-2021

  • Provisional and Designated ECHSs operate under the 2020-21 ECHS BlueprintÌý
  • Revised Blueprint benchmarks and design elements required to be metÌý
  • OBM's continue to phase in with the rising 12th grade cohort
  • Designation application for 2021-2022 released
    • OBM data shared via ɬÀï·¬log-in (TEAL portal) to drive continuous improvement effortsÌý
    • ECHS in 5th+ year may earn distinctions based on revised OBMÌý

2016-2017 ECHS Blueprint Redesign

In the 2016-2017 school year, the ɬÀï·¬engaged Jobs For the Future (JFF) and other national ECHS experts to assist the agency in designing the ɬÀï·¬ ECHS Blueprint and Designation process.

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Network Engagement 2016-2017

  • Held ECHS Best Practices Summit on August 2-3, 2017 to celebrate the release of the ɬÀ﷬’ home-grown ECHS Blueprint

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Transition Year: 2017-2018

  • Designated ECHSs operated under the existing Blueprint
  • ECHS prepared for implementation of the Outcomes-Based Measures (OBM)
  • ɬÀï·¬released the annual Designation (Renewal) application for 2018-2019

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Implementation Year: 2017-2019

  • Redesigned Blueprint benchmarks and design elements required to be met by all ɬÀï·¬ ECHS
  • OBMs 5-year phase-in period began, starting with the incoming cohort of 9th grade students for the 2019-20 designation year
  • Planning years required for all new ECHS programs
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Contact Information

College, Career, and Military Prep
Postsecondary Preparation Programs
1701 N. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701
Email:ÌýCCRSM@tea.texas.gov