Clear Horizons Early College High School

Community Information Session

2017

Clear Horizons Early College High School is a

CCISD high school on the San Jacinto College

South Campus on Beamer Road.

Students earn a high school diploma

and a two-year college degree in four years.

What is an

Early College High School?• A partnership between a high school and a

college

• A school that provides students with up to 60

college credit hours towards a baccalaureate

degree at no cost to the students

• A program that, as defined by the 2005 Texas

Legislature, targets students who are at risk of

not graduating from high school (ie

economically disadvantaged, first generation

college goers, English language learners, etc.)

Early College High School Premise:

The key threshold between students who

complete a four-year college degree and those

who do not is 20 college credit hours. Those

who go beyond 20 hours usually finish and those

who do not finish usually stop before they get to

20 hours. Therefore, Early College High Schools

focus on the transition between high school and

60 college credit hours to get students beyond

that critical point of 20 credit hours.

Student Perspective

What is the difference between an

ECHS and traditional Dual Credit?

Dual Credit Clear Horizons ECHS

Typically offers between

12 and 21 hours of credit

Offers core

complete/associate degree

(60+) college hours

Usually only offered in

grades 11 and 12

Students begin taking

college courses in 9th grade

Students travel to the

college campus and back

to the traditional high

school

Students spend the entire

school day immersed in the

college culture

Early College High Schools are intended to serve

approximately 400 students, 100 per grade level.

There are over 100 in Texas. The schools were

designed so that young people who are

traditionally underrepresented in higher education

can experience a smooth transition to college.

However, any student can apply and attend

regardless of income or status in special

populations. Entrance into the program is

determined solely by a lottery process.

Clear Horizons ECHS has received TEA’s

highest ranking each year of its existence.

In 2015-2016 Clear Horizons ECHS earned

7 out of 7 Distinctions from TEA

2016 US News and World Report

Designation: Gold

#337 National High School Ranking

#4 National ECHS Ranking

#52 State High School Ranking

#3 State ECHS Ranking

2016 Newsweek

#148 National High School Ranking

#4 National ECHS Ranking

#11 State High School Ranking

#1 State ECHS Ranking

Clear Horizons Early College High School is a

CCISD District Charter School.

Our governing board and policies are the

CCISD board and CCISD policies.

As a charter we are obligated to a weighted

lottery process if we have more students apply

than we can accept. The enrollment limit is

125 in the freshmen class.

Lottery Process:

• On February 28 we will run the electronic

lottery process

• All applications will be assigned a random

number

• Numbers 1 – 125 will receive an email

informing them they have been selected

• If we have more than 125 applicants, #126

and above will receive an email informing

them they did not make the first 125 but

they are now on the waiting list. They will

also be informed of their waiting list

number – it is the same number they were

assigned in the lottery process

4 years of high school

+ 2 years of college

4 years

This accelerated degree program is possible

through Dual Credit.

College courses are taken for both college and

high school (dual) credit.

All state universities will accept this credit.

Private universities may not.

Our most successful

students are…

•academically focused

•independent learners

•great time managers

•independent workers

•self-disciplined

•risk takers

Clear Horizons

Early College High School

Freshman Schedule

First Semester

PAP Biology

PAP Alg. I

PAP English I

SJC EDUC

PAP Spanish

PAP Alg. I

SJC PHED

AP Human Geography

Clear Horizons

Early College High School

Freshman Schedule

Second Semester

PAP Biology

PAP Alg. I

PAP English I

SJC PHED

PAP Spanish

PAP Alg. I

SJC ITSC

AP Human Geography

Intermediate School Prerequisites:

There are none.

However, prior enrollment in

Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP)

courses allow a critical advantage.

Advanced Placement refers to a designation

licensed by the College Board.

It denotes that a teacher has advanced training

and that the course is taught at a rigorous level.

In an AP course, students take an AP Exam at

the end of the year for college credit.

Key Differences in the

Clear Horizons Choice:

•School of 400 instead of 2400.

•School hours run one hour behind other CCISD

high schools.

•Students ride two buses to school and home.

•CCISD lunch is served, but with fewer options.

•Students have more unstructured time.

•Internships are required two semesters.

•Service learning is required, 20hrs/yr.

•2 years of college are free (tuition/books/fees).

•Students are on a college campus coexisting with

the college population.

Students are on a College Campus:

The internet is not filtered.

College class conversations are not censored.

College students range in age from 15-75+.

Free time and transitions are not all monitored.

Students have access to Starbucks, campus

cafe, the bookstore and more.

Four-Year Plan

Gr. 9

6 High

School

Classes

Gr. 10

5 High

School

Classes

Gr. 11

5 High

School

Classes

Gr. 12

1 High

School

Class

1-4

College

Classes(~8 Hours)

2-4

College

Classes(~12 hours)

4

College

Classes(~12 hours)

10

College

Classes(~30 Hours)

All numbers are approximations.

HB 5 Multidisciplinary Endorsement*

•26 High School Credits

•4 years of English/Math/Science/SS*

•Distinguished Level of Achievement (Alg II)

•2 years of a language other than English (3rd

is offered and recommended)

•1 year of PE

•1 year of Fine Arts

•.5 Communications

•4.5 Electives

Clear Horizons offers 7 different

Endorsements

•STEM Endorsement Math

•STEM Endorsement Science

•Arts and Humanities Endorsement 4 LOTE

•Arts and Humanities Social Studies

•Multidisciplinary Advanced Courses

•Multidisciplinary 4X4

•Multidisciplinary AP/Dual Credit

All freshmen begin as Multidisciplinary students

San Jacinto College Associate Degree

•Complete a General Studies Associate of

Arts.

•Limited students are allowed to choose a

degree plan if academic achievement allows.

•Complete 60 credit hours in a degree plan.

•The SJC Honors Program is optional.

University Transfer of Credit:

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating

Board (THECB) ensures community

college credits in core classes should be

accepted by public universities in Texas.

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/

• The Texas Common Course Numbering

System (TCCNS) has a website where you

can compare course numbers and

transferability between Texas schools.

http://www.tccns.org/

University Scholarships:

• Seniors qualify for institutional

scholarships based on early application.

• We work to help 100% of seniors apply

before the December 1 deadline.

• The Greater Texas Foundation (GTF) has

given five Texas universities scholarship

money to fund 25 full tuition scholarships

for graduates from ECHSs to continue two

more years at a university. Those five

schools are UTRGV, UNT, TAMU, & UH.

CCISD Transportation:

1. Students ride a morning route from their

neighborhood to their zoned high school.

2. Students ride a shuttle bus about 7:15 am

from their zoned high school to SJC.

3. Students ride a shuttle bus at 3:20 pm from

SJC to their zoned intermediate school

Monday – Thursdays.

4. Students ride an afternoon route from the

zoned intermediate at 4:00 pm to their

neighborhood Monday – Thursdays.

5. On Fridays we dismiss at 1:30 pm and

students ride a shuttle bus to zoned high

schools where buses leave at 2:30 pm to take

students home.

Student Life:

We ARE a “real” High School

Clear Horizons ECHS Clubs

San Jacinto College Clubs

Socials, dances, and special events are offered.

SJC performing groups, performing arts, visual

arts, and private classes are options.

Students comment that they appreciate their

small student “family”.

Student Life: Clear Horizons Clubs

• Art Club

• Business Professionals

of America

• Journalism

• Medical Careers Club

• Music Club

• Muslim Student Assoc.

• National Honor Society

• Prom Committee

• Robotics

• Science Fair Club

• Service Learning

• Spanish Club

• Student Council

• Strategic Gaming

• Theatre Arts Club

• Vietnamese Club

• Yearbook

Plus over 40 SJC Clubs!

Student Life:

Clear Horizons Activities

Fall Social

Round Up Assemblies

Fall Dance

Fall Field Day

Mid-Year Celebration

Winter Dance

Film Festival

Flamenco Assembly

Spring Field Day

Great Gatsby Party

(11th Grade)

Talent Show

Lunar Celebration

Spanish Fiesta Dance

Valentine Luncheon

Jr/Sr Prom

Can I play sports? Can I be in band?

In order to fit 6 years of school into 4

years of time we do not allow time

for participation in UIL Events at the

zoned high school.

San Jacinto College

ECHS

Banquet Rm

PE Bldg

ILC

Proscenium

Library

San Jacinto College

Main Entry – under the CHECHS name on Building #9

Administrative Office – Rm. S9 - 146 for Bookkeeper/Principal

Nurse

Most high school classes for CHECHS

students are in the area pictured here.

Application Process

Step By Step Instructions are listed in a document on

our website:

Go to http://chechs.ccisd.net/

Click “How To Apply”

Click “Application Process for Current 8th Grade

Students”

Click “Apply Now”

Click How

to Apply

from the

home page

Click

Application

Process for

Current 8th

Grade Students

Click

Apply Now

Application Process

1. Complete a self-assessment of program readiness.

2. Complete the Clear Horizons ECHS Application.

3. Submit the application by the February 24

deadline.

4. Await lottery results on February 28 (everyone

receives an email)

5. Follow news and announcements on our website.

Our most successful

students are…

•academically focused

•independent learners

•great time managers

•independent workers

•self-disciplined

•risk takers

Application Deadline

February 24, 2017

Clear Horizons Early College High School is a

CCISD high school on the San Jacinto College

South Campus on Beamer Road.

Students earn a high school diploma

and a two-year college degree in four years.

(281)929-4657