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Felix F. Chavez, El Paso Times

More El Paso Independent School District students can now earn college credits and a degreewhile still in high school.

EPISD rolled out new early college high school programs at four schools this pastweek, officially bringing programs offering college creditor industry certifications toevery high school within the district.

There are new medical scienceprogramsat Franklin andJefferson High Schools, a new business program atCoronado High School and a new computer science program at El Paso High School. Irvin High School already has a medical science program.

Like a dual credit program, Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) allows students to get college credit while in high school. Unlikedual credit, students can earn an associate's degree and/or industry certifications through the program while still earning their high school diplomas.

"It allows additional dual credit access to a lot more students,"said Jason Long, executive director of Secondary Schools and College Readiness at EPISD."There is some dual credit at each of the traditional campuses but this will add a lot more to the offerings."

EPISD worked with Workforce Solutions Borderplex in El Paso to determine what industries would see growth in the next 10 years and provide real job opportunities for students in El Paso after they graduate.

"We wanted to pick industries that have the potential forgrowth, but also that have a good track record," Long said.

EPISD is partnering with University Medical Centerof El Paso for the medical science program at Irvin, Jefferson and Franklin high schools. The district is also working on a partnership withEl Paso's largest credit union, GECU bank, for an accounting component to the businessprogram at Coronado High School.

EPISD will also use its own resources for the new educationprogram,Long said. Andress and Bowie High Schoolswill offer the education program aiming to train K-12 teachers in the2021-2022 school year.

All the remaining nine traditional high schools will eventually haveP-TECH programs too, Long said.

EPISD has been growing its early college high school programsin recent years.

Burges High School already hasBurges Early College High School inside the campus, and was the first of its kind in El Paso when it was established by EPISD and El Paso Community College in 2014.

Transmountain Early College High School, which opened in 2008, is a standalone early college high school at EPISD.

Because the teachers who will take part in the program are already certified to teach dual credit programs, the district is not anticipating hiringan influx of new teachers for the program, Long said.

Students can take one of two pathsin the open enrollment program, starting out as freshmen during the fall semester:

At Coronado High School, students can get anAssociateof Arts degreein accounting, business and economics. They can alsoget a Level 1certificate of completionin computerized accounting applications at EPCC.

At El Paso High School, students can get an Associateof Arts in computer scienceor certification in Cisco network training.

At Franklin and JeffersonHigh Schools, students can getan associate's degree inmultidisciplinary studies with a concentration in medical science, or a Level 1 basic certificateof completionto be a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

For students who wish to attend a P-TECH program at a different high school, EPISD will provide transportation from their home high school to the school with their preferred P-TECH program.

Depending on theprogram, students willbe bussed toEl Paso Community College to takespecialty courses their high school couldn't provide.

Students will have normal class schedules with P-TECH program offerings integrated into their schedules and most classes will be taken at the high school.

Depending on theprogram, students willbe bused toEl Paso Community College to takespecialty courses their high school couldn't provide.

Though the program is open enrollment, there will be cap on the number of students witha limited number of available seats at EPISD and EPCC.

The district plans to expand the program but for now, seats will be limited to up to 125 students per grade level at each campus, capping at a maximum of 500 students who can take partat each campus.

"The students have to be interested, there is some commitment involved, there are going to be times where they will have to take a summer course just to stay on track fortheir associate's degree, especially if they're on that pathway, so it is a commitment from the student andthe parent, and interest, that's the main driving force," Long said.

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More: Clint ISD welcomes students back to fully in-person learning after year of pandemic

More: Here's what you need to about COVID safety precautions at El Paso colleges and universities

Cristina Carreon maybe reached at ccarreon@elpasotimes.com and @Cris_carreon90 on Twitter.

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EPISD now offering college credit courses at every high school in the district - El Paso Times