Early College Blueprint Benchmarks
Click here to view The Early College High School Blueprint
Under the authority of Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.908(b) and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1091, the TEA developed a designation process for Early College High Schools. The designation process ensures that districts and colleges operating ECHS campuses maintain the integrity of the model, which was researched and designed to target and serve students who might not otherwise attend college.
BENCHMARKS
Benchmark 1: School Design
The Early College High School (ECHS) shall establish school structures and policies, regularly convene leadership teams and ensure adequate staff capacity for the successful implementation and sustainability of the ECHS program.
School board and board of regents' presentations
Mission Veterans Memorial Early College High School V3 English Video.mp4Description of each member and role in committee
MVMECHS Roles and Responsibilities.pdfDocument(s) outlining the strategic priorities for the current academic year and/or long-term priorities of the ECHS partnership
Benchmark 2: Partnerships
The Early College High School (ECHS) must have a current, signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) or interlocal agreement (ILA) with each Institution of Higher Education (IHE) that outlines key issues related to the planning, implementation, and sustainability of the ECHS program. Stakeholders shall review the MOU or ILA annually. The agreement shall include the components described in the design elements below.
Final, signed, and executed MOU/ILA or similar agreement
MOU 2023-2024 Mission Veterans ECHS.pdfBenchmark 3: Target Population
The Early College High School (ECHS) shall target and enroll historically underserved students. The campus must enable students who are at-risk of dropping out or those who wish to accelerate completion of high school to combine high school courses and college-level courses. Enrollment decisions shall not be based on state assessment scores, discipline history, teacher recommendations, parent or student essays, minimum grade point average (GPA), or other criteria that create barriers for student enrollment.
Written lottery procedures
Written admission policy
Enrollment Application
23-24 MVMECHS Application Fillable PDF.pdfWritten recruitment plan, including a timeline of recruitment and enrollment events, and recruitment materials for distribution at feeder middle schools and other appropriate locations in the community
MVMECHS Recruitment & Events.pdfBrochures and marketing in Spanish, English, and/or other relevant language(s)
MVMECHS FLYER FITTED (1).pdfWritten communication plan for targeting identified audiences (e.g. parents, community members, school boards, higher education personnel, etc.)
MVMECHS Communication Plan.pdfBenchmark 4: Academic Infrastructure
The Early College High School (ECHS) must provide a rigorous course of study that allows students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and enable a student to combine high school courses and college-level courses with the goal of earning an associate degree or up to 60 semester credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree.
Plans.pdfCrosswalk
MVMECHS Schedule
Calendar of TSI Dates
tsia2-interpreting-your-scores.pdfAggregate reports of TSI exam performance
Benchmark 5: Student Support
The Early College High School (ECHS) must provide wrap-around strategies and services involving multiple stakeholders to strengthen academic, technical, and individual support for students to be successful in their ECHS program.
MVMECHS Tutoring and Summer Bridge.pdfTutoring and Bridge Program Schedules