Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
The Alamo Colleges District and St. Mary’s University have teamed up to boost dual education programs in local high schools, beginning this summer.
Their partnership was announced at a Tuesday news conference at St. Mary's University.
Alamo Colleges will invest more than $1 million to allow for 100 high school teachers to receive graduate level training from St. Mary's University to teach dual credit courses.
The new partnership also gives more local high school students the chance to earn college credits before they graduate.
"This partnership is a game changer for students and families in our community,” said Mike Flores, chancellor of the Alamo Colleges District. “By investing in the professional development of our local teachers, we’re building a stronger pipeline of dual credit faculty and expanding access to college-level coursework where it’s needed most.”
Teachers from Northside ISD, North East ISD and East Central ISD who need graduate hours in subjects such as English, history or political science to be eligible to teach dual credit will be among the first to be initially supported.
Participating teachers who complete the program will commit to teaching dual credit in high-need schools for at least three years. They will be able to teach Freshmen Composition I and II, History 1301 and 1302, and Government 2305 as dual credit courses at their high schools.
"Research shows that dual credit programs help improve high school graduation rates, increase college enrollment and reduce the time needed to complete degrees at both community colleges and universities," according to a news release.
It will allow an estimated 560 students to complete at least 15 hours of college credit before high school graduation.
