By Mathew Shaw/se news editor
Beginning in the fall, high school students across Arlington will begin to attend SE Campus’ early college high school currently under construction.
An early college high school allows students to earn high school and college credit and ultimately graduate with a diploma and associate degree.
SE president Bill Coppola said the school will be the seventh high school in the Arlington Independent School District. He said the most successful model of an early college high school is to be on a college campus.
“The whole idea of an early college high school is to build a college culture,” he said.
The school attempts to meet the needs of students who would not otherwise consider college for a variety of reasons, such as finances, said Ben Bholan, principal of the future school.
“Our focus is really wanting to find kids who need us the most,” he said.
However, any student who applies will be considered, Bholan said.
“The main emphasis is to find ways to meet the needs of all students and help them to be successful now and in the future,” he said. “Our new school creates a unique choice or option that has never been available in our district.”
The intent of the school, Bholan said, is to make the interior look just like the other classrooms on SE Campus. Coppola said the building will have a multipurpose classroom, two science labs, a learning resource center and a food service area.
Eighth graders across the Arlington school district are currently going through the application process, which includes student essays, parent responses and two teacher recommendations. The deadline is April 15.
According to the district’s website, approximately 100 freshman students will be enrolled at the school’s opening. Students will also have access to TCC facilities and resources. Arlington will pay for tuition and fees not waived by TCC.
Besides attaining a diploma and an associate degree, students will have 60 college hours upon graduation, Coppola said.
Kirby Chadwell, TCC director of facilities planning and development, said the building is scheduled to be complete in August for fall classes.
