1. Luzelma Canales Interim Associate Dean, Community Engagement & Workforce Development South Texas College Dr. Donna Ekal Associate Provost of Graduate Studies University of Texas, El Paso Higher Education Engagement for Early College Success April 21, 2010

2. Agenda IntroductionKim Fossey Speaker Luzelma Canales South Texas College Speaker Dr. Donna Ekal University of Texas, El Paso Panel DiscussionAlma Garcia Early College High School Week May 3 – 10 THSP.org/ECHSweek

3. What role do you play?

4. Texas Early College High Schools

5. The Texas High School Project has spearheaded promising educational programs in Texas Public-Private Partnership Offers Unique Value to the State of Texas – Commitment to a vision of public-private collaboration to promote state competitiveness is strong: – THSP uniquely connects influential private voices together with TEA, policy makers, and on-the ground practitioners in a way that focuses cooperative energy to drive positive change. All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

6. Private and Public Partners PhilanthropyState of Texas All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

7. THSP Encompasses Many Different Initiatives School Models Texas-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) Increasing the number of low income and minority college graduates in mathematics and science fields through new academies Early College High School (ECHS) Providing students who may not otherwise consider attending college a means of earning 60 college credits or an Associate’s degree by graduation through a new campus model New Schools / Charter Schools (NSCS) Supporting high performing charter schools to establish additional campuses and provide new options for students traditionally under-represented in higher education High School Redesign (HSRD) & High School Redesign and Restructuring (HSRR) Redesigning comprehensive academically unacceptable schools and, in HSRD, creating small learning communities New Schools / Academies Redesigned Schools All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

8. THSP Impacts Students Statewide 1 Through 2008-09 school year 2 Source: Texas Education Agency 2006-2007 academic year Statewide Impact THSP began with a focus on urban areas – Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio – and the Texas-Mexico border In partnership with TEA, THSP’s reach has expanded over time to include more mid-size cities and rural locations Success has prompted a number of districts to independently replicate school models with their own funding Even as THSP has reached 172 schools 1, much work remains to impact the 1.2 million 2 high school students in the state Waco El Paso Lubbock Ft Worth Dallas Houston Austin San Antonio Brownsville 7 5 8 Corpus Christi 5 Waco Lubbock Ft Worth Dallas Houston Austin San Antonio Brownsville 6 5 19 Corpus Christi 9 Program Key HSRR / HSRD (93) Number of Schools 1-2 3-4 # 5+ ECHS (29) NSCS (12) T-STEM (38) 10 7 5 All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

9. Early College High Schools Early colleges are based on the concept of acceleration not remediation. Rigorous curriculum with “wrap around” learning support services. Small class sizes allow more hands on teaching and innovation in the classroom The design and location of a particular ECHS may vary from school district to school district. All ECHS are public high schools funded by their districts. All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

10. How is early college different from other accelerated models? ECHS differ from programs like dual enrollment, International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment in the following ways: – Fully integrates the high school and college experience (socially and intellectually) – Specifically targets student populations with lower probabilities of entering college; unlike AP, IB, or dual enrollment programs All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!

11.  Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  TEA/TX Legislature  Greater TX Foundation  Wallace Foundation  Meadows Foundation JFF  ECHS Network Exemplars  PD Network  Education Service Centers  Higher Ed Systems  THECB  Policy Work Group   CFT  TEA ECHS Funders National Support State Support School Developers Innovation Scale All students: College Ready, Career Ready, Life Ready!