Texas TEA 2022-2024 ECHS Planning and Implementation Grant Program
Request for Application (RFA) #701-21-130 is authorized by the General Appropriations Act, Article III, Rider 48, 87th Texas Legislature, and Texas Education Code (TEC), §29.908(b) and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1091. The RFA is available on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page.
Eligibility
See the General and Fiscal Guidelines, Eligibility To Apply for Competitive Grants.
Eligible applicants include LEAs that: serve students in grades 9-12; or will begin serving students in Grade 9 or students in Grades 9 and 10 in the first year of implementation (2023-2024) and will progressively scale up by adding at least one grade level per year.
Grant Period: March 1, 2022, through June 15, 2024.
Funding: It is anticipated that approximately 6 grants will be awarded up to a maximum amount of $175,000.
Description: The purpose of the 2022–2024 ECHS Planning and Implementation Grant is to allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity receive both a high school diploma and either an associate degree or 60 credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree. The ECHS provides dual credit at no cost to historically underserved students, targeting those who are at-risk and/or economically disadvantaged. The ECHS offers rigorous instruction and accelerated courses and provides academic and social support services to help students succeed in college level coursework.
The ECHS provides students with highly personalized attention which promotes improvement in college readiness. ECHS campuses partner with Texas institutions of higher education (IHEs) to reduce barriers to college access. The IHE partner(s) serve on the ECHS Leadership Team to provide support and provide guidance to the ECHS in curriculum development, resource acquisition, and student/community outreach. Together, the ECHS and IHE develop course equivalency crosswalks which lead to Level 1 and Level 2 certificates, associate degrees, and completion of the Texas Core Curriculum to provide stackable credentials as students advance on the academic pipeline.
ECHS schools are public schools established under the Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.908(b) that enable students in Grade 9, 10, 11, or 12 who are at-risk of dropping out, as defined by the TEC, §29.081, or who wish to accelerate completion of high school to combine high school courses and college-level courses. ECHS schools provide a course of study leading to an associate or 60 college credits at no cost to students, per Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1091.
Application Deadline: Applications must be received by the Texas Education Agency by 11:59 p.m. (Central Time), November 9, 2021, to be considered for funding.
