Putting the spotlight on early college high schools

Is there anything better than receiving something of great value for free?

Everybody likes a good bargain, and that is precisely what students get at our early college high schools. These campuses give motivated young people a chance to earn college credits while still in high school—and in some cases, an associates’ degree right alongside a diploma.

Getting your first two years of college for free represents a significant savings for students and their families—sometimes thousands of dollars—and that’s why I encourage parents to look very hard at our early college high school offerings when considering their children’s options.

HISD pioneered the concept of the early college high school in Texas when it launched Challenge Early College High School in August of 2003, and we’ve had nine years to perfect and expand that program.

Now, the district has additional campuses spread out across the city: East Early College High School, Empowerment College Preparatory Academy/South Early College High School, the Houston Academy for International Studies, and North Houston Early College High School. Each one serves a small group of driven young people in a challenging, yet supportive, learning environment, delivering high-quality instruction so that they can get a head start on an advanced degree or a career. Two of those schools (Empowerment/SECHS and NECHS) will also be getting brand-new campuses under the 2012 Bond.

March 25–30 is Early College High School Week, so please take a few minutes to learn more about our early college campuses (you can do so at our upcoming School Choice Fair on April 27). I assure you, you won’t find a better deal anywhere. This is just one more way that HISD is “Becoming Great All Over.”