Revised 2020 Early College High School Blueprint and P-TECH and T-STEM Blueprint Access Outcomes-Based Measures Revisions

The Texas Education Agency (TEA), in collaboration with numerous stakeholders throughout the 2019-2020 academic year, has revised the Early College High School (ECHS) Blueprint. The 2020 ECHS Blueprint is effective for the 2020-2021 academic year and beyond. 

The ECHS Blueprint has received changes to each of the six benchmarks: 1) target population, 2) partnership agreement, 3) leadership initiative, 4) curriculum and support, 5) academic rigor and readiness, and 6) school design. Each benchmark includes language revisions to clarify expectations for model implementation and promote robust partnership with institutions of higher education. 

Modifications have been made to the ECHS Blueprint’s outcomes-based measures (OBM) related to access, attainment, and achievement data indicators. 

• Access:
  • Data indicators have been removed relating to:
    • 1) race, 2) ethnicity, and 3) gender. 
• Attainment:
  • Data indicators have been removed relating to:
    • 1) dual credit English and Math courses, and 2) the accumulation of 30 college credits. 
  • Data indicators have been added relating to:
    • 1) Texas Core Curriculum, 2) direct-to-college enrollment, and 3) a portfolio approach for offering college-level courses as early as 10th grade. 
• Achievement:
  • Data indicators have been adjusted to:
    • 1) accommodate upcoming changes to the TSIA, and 2) adjust the Algebra I and English II EOC criteria to the Meets Grade Level Performance. 
  • Data indicators have been added relating to SAT/ACT. 

The ECHS Blueprint outlines the Provisional and Designated ECHS requirements and changes in the way that Distinctions may be obtained. OBM will be used to determine campus designation status for 2022-23, and thereafter. 

• Provisional Early College: ECHS in the first 4 years of operation must demonstrate implementation of all design elements for each benchmark of the Blueprint and meet the Provisional ECHS OBM. 
• Early College: ECHS in 5th+ years of operation must maintain designation by demonstrating implementation of all design elements for each benchmark of the Blueprint and meet the Designated ECHS outcomes-based measures. 
• Distinctions: Distinctions may be earned by ECHS in 5th+year of operation for exemplar service to students in Access, Attainment, and Achievement by demonstrating that they can implement all the design elements for each benchmark and meet the Distinguished Early College OBM in one or more of the OBM domains. 

Information on the redesigned ECHS Blueprint including the blueprint itself may be found at www.tea.texas.gov/echs and is linked at the end of this letter. 

P-TECH and T-STEM Access OBM Blueprint Revision 

The 2020 ECHS Blueprint revision process resulted in modifications to the access OBM for the P-TECH and T-STEM Blueprints that go immediately into effect. TEA has removed OBM criteria related to race, ethnicity, and gender in all CCRSM blueprints. CCRSM schools will continue to receive this data in TEAL to guide programmatic decisions. 

Use the links below to download the updated 2020 P-TECH Blueprint and 2020 T-STEM Blueprint, which include the updated access criteria which will be used for the 2020-21 academic year. 

For Further Information 
TEA acknowledges the impact of COVID-19 on measures related to the designation process and will continue conversations with campuses in our network to best support them in light of these events. 

If you have questions regarding Early College High School, Pathways in Technology Early College High School or Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM), contact us at (512) 936-6060 or CCRSM@tea.texas.gov. 

Attachments 

2020 ECHS Blueprint (Clean) 

2020 ECHS Blueprint (Mark-up) 

2020 P-TECH Blueprint (Clean) 

2020 P-TECH Blueprint (Mark-Up) 

2020 T-STEM Blueprint (Clean) 

2020 T-STEM Blueprint (Mark-Up)