ECHS to Offer Tuition-free College Courses
High school students who will enter ninth grade in the fall, will have a chance to take courses that can be counted toward college credit through a new Early College High School program.

The program, which will be tuition-free for students, is being developed with start-up funds from the Texas Education Agency.

The courses will be offered at Temple College at Taylor.

Students can earn up to 60 hours of college credit through the program during their high school career.

Richard Kolek, who will be the principal of the ECHS, said enrollment will be limited to 100 incoming ninth grade students from the Hutto and Taylor school districts in the fall. Each subsequent year, the school will add a new class of ninth grade students to create a freshmen through senior level campus with a maximum of 400 students by fall 2010.

Kolek met with students at Hutto Middle School last week to discuss the school and what it offers to those who qualify to attend classes.

It is accelerated instruction in a small school setting, he said.

“This is cutting edge,” he said.

Kolek encouraged the students to consider the challenges the new program will offer.

“It's an awesome opportunity,” he said. “It's a lot to think about. It's your future.”

To meet grant requirements, the school is designed to improve the outcome for students who are first-generation college students, low-income students, English language learners and at-risk students, Kolek said.

Program requirements include attendance in a summer program prior to the ninth grade, having an excellent attendance record, meeting all college admissions criteria before enrolling in dual credit courses, participating in scheduled activities hosted by the school and representing the school and college in a professional manner.

A meeting to discuss the ECHS will be held today at 6:30 p.m. at Taylor Middle School and Saturday at 10 a.m. at Temple College at Taylor.

Those interested in the school are asked to attend one of the meetings.

For more information, contact Kolek at (512) 365-2787.