ALAMO COLLEGES- MEMORIAL EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL. An Opportunity of a Lifetime

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1 ALAMO COLLEGES- MEMORIAL EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL An Opportunity of a Lifetime

2 Early College High School (ECHS) Defined ECHS s are small schools designed so that students can earn both a high school diploma and an Associate s degree or up to two years of credit toward a Bachelor s degree. Key Elements Target at-risk population Enrollment restricted to 400 students Location on a college campus and/or sharing of college facilities Rigorous and personalized instruction Collaboration between faculties Modified scheduling to mimic college-going culture Intense academic counseling

3 ECHS: The Concept Challenge not remediation will make a difference for those young people who are least likely to attend college and for whom society often has low aspirations for academic achievement.

4 ECHS: The Benefit Improve high school graduation rates; Better prepare students for high-skill careers by engaging all students in a rigorous, college preparatory curriculum; and Compressing the number of years to a college degree. The 20 credit threshold is a key breaking point between students who complete a college degree and those who never finish college. (Source: Clifford Adelman, The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.)

5 ECHS: 5 Core Principles CORE PRINCIPLE 1 ECHS s are committed to serving students underrepresented in higher education. Student identified as at-risk; or Student on free or reduced lunch program; or First generation college goers Second language learners Alamo Colleges-Memorial ECHS will recruit 100, 8 th grade students from across the district each year that meet this criteria. First Freshman Cohort group began

6 ECHS: 5 Core Principles CORE PRINCIPLE 2 ECHS s are created and sustained by a local education agency, an IHE, and the community, all of whom are jointly accountable for student success. Establish Partnership Define Roles Determine Program Design Comal ISD, St. Philips College, and the extended CISD community are partners in this endeavor.

7 ECHS: 5 Core Principles CORE PRINCIPLE 3 ECHS s and their higher education and community partners jointly develop an integrated academic program so all students earn one to two years of transferable college credit leading to college completion. Students will be immersed in a college culture Associate of Arts Degree Associate of Applied Science, and/or Up to sixty (60) hours towards an associate s degree and/or baccalaureate degree at no cost to the parent or student. Career Pathways and Programs of Study that lead to a certification, 2-year degree, and/or up to 60 hours toward a 2-or 4-year degree are currently being developed by Alamo Colleges-Memorial Early College HS and St. Philips.

8 ECHS: 5 Core Principles CORE PRINCIPLE 4 ECHS s engage all students in a comprehensive support system that develops academic and social skills as well as the behaviors and conditions necessary for college completion. College and Career Advising Counseling Support Academic Support Alamo Colleges-Memorial ECHS has employed a College and Career Counselor to assist with 4-6 year grad plans. The structure of the school day/week will provide for intense instructional and skill development to support academic and social needs.

9 ECHS: 5 Core Principles CORE PRINCIPLE 5 ECHS s, IHE, and community partners work with intermediaries to create conditions and advocate for supportive policies that advance the early college movement. Alamo Colleges-Memorial ECHS will continue to seek partnerships with parents, businesses and community entities that allow our students varied experiences that support their educational program.

10 ECHS: Data In , over 1,100 ECHS students earned an average of 16 credit hours each. These 1,100 students saved approximately $4,000 each in college tuition a total of $4.5 million. In May 2010, 900 students graduated from 11 Early College High Schools this is the first major cohort of ECHS graduates in Texas. These 900 students collectively earned over $5.6 million in college scholarships. Of these 900 students, 308 graduates earned an Associate s degree and their high school diploma at the same time. ECHS students are 27 percent more likely than students at their peer schools and 20 percent more likely than students across the state to pass 9 th grade TAKS.

11 EAGLE CAMP

12 TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

13 OPEN HOUSE ST. PHILIP S

14 HOLIDAYS

15 ST. PHILIP S LECTURE SERIES

16 AC-MECHS NEW CAMPUS

17 ECHS: Opportunity for a Lifetime ECHS Opportunity for a Lifetime In this inspiring, seven-minute video, students tell the story of how early college high schools motivate young people to stay in school, work hard, and meet serious intellectual challenges.