DUAL CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHERS

​HELPING INCREASE DUAL CREDIT ENROLLMENT BY 53% IN EL PASO HIGH SCHOOLS

CREEED established a $1 million scholarship fund to increase the number of educators certified to teach dual credit and early college high school courses. Through our Accelerated Certification of Teachers (ACT) El Paso scholarship program, we partner with the school districts in El Paso County to provide teachers with scholarships to help them complete the credentialing process needed to teach dual credit courses.

CREEED believes the earlier students are exposed to college opportunities, the more effectively the idea of college can be integrated into their lives and aspirations. One way to do this is to provide a head start on post-secondary core requirements, that is why we are supporting this effort to expand the number of dual-credit courses being taught in our local schools.

As of May 2018, the program a total of 75 teachers have either obtained certification to teach dual-credit courses or are in the process of completing the process since the program began.  At the same time, we have seen enrollment in dual-credit courses increase by 53% from only 4,750 students enrolled in these courses at the start of 2014 to 7,250 students in 2017. 
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The more certified teachers we have across El Paso, the more dual credit courses we will be able to offer our students and help them get a head start on completing college.

​CREEED believes the earlier students are exposed to college opportunities, the more effectively the idea of college can be integrated into their lives and aspirations. One way to do this is to provide a head start on post-secondary core requirements.

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"The CREEED dual credit scholarship program has allowed several of our teachers to continue to pursue their education and give Canutillo High School additional options to expand Dual Credit offerings. The scholarships help us accomplish our district’s goal of enriching student learning opportunities and preparing them for college,” stated Canutillo Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz.

“The scholarships help us address our school’s need for more dual credit certified teachers,” Clint High School Principal, Garrett Ritchey. “Although the scholarships go to the teachers, the students are the true beneficiaries.”

Benefits of Dual Credit:

• Lowers cost of college (credits earned are at no cost).
• On average, students who enter college with earned units/credits will complete college at higher rates.
• Extends the variety of classes available to high school students.
• Serves as an introduction to college rigor/studies.
• Allows an easier transition to college.

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HOW TO APPLY FOR A DUAL CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP FOR TEACHERS

There are currently eight school districts in El Paso County participating in the ACT El Paso Scholarships for Teachers Program. If you are teaching in one of the below school districts, contact your administrator for additional information on how to apply.

Participating School Districts:

1. Anthony Independent School District 
2. Canutillo Independent School District
3. Clint Independent School District
4. ​El Paso Independent School District
   
5. Fabens Independent School District
   
6. Socorro Independent School District
7. ​Tornillo Independent School District
8. ​​Ysleta Independent School District

The resources provided by CREEED to these efforts covers the tuition related to the required courses and can also help cover incidentals and fees related to the program. 

Since 2000, Texas has experienced 650 percent growth in the number of high school students enrolling in dual credit education, which allows students to take college-level courses that simultaneously provide credit toward a high school diploma and a college degree. The Dual Credit Education in Texas Interim Report is the first phase of a two-year research study conducted by RAND Education, a unit of the RAND Corporation, in collaboration with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Gibson Consulting. The purpose is to research dual credit education programs and inform policymakers and stakeholders whether these programs need to be reformed.

Read: THECB's Dual Credit Education in Texas Interim Report 
March 16, 2017

“The Ysleta Independent School District is appreciative of the funding that CREEED has dedicated toward THE MASTERS program, which offers our teachers a convenient, affordable, and supportive path for pursuing their master’s degrees and advanced certifications,” said Dr. Xavier De La Torre, YISD Superintendent of Schools.  “As of this spring, we will have 20 YISD teachers successfully complete their master’s degrees and advanced certifications ­through the program in either math, science, social studies, or language arts,” Dr. De La Torre said.  “We firmly believe this will help our teachers significantly enhance their classroom instructional practices while positively impacting student achievement.”​

“A top priority in Team SISD is to invest in our teachers and staff to provide a high-quality education for our students. We are extremely grateful for the generous donation from CREEED, which allowed for SISD teachers to earn dual credit credentials,” said Socorro Independent School District Superintendent Dr. José Espinoza. “Giving teachers the opportunity to become qualified for higher-level positions allows us to provide more opportunities for students to be prepared for college, careers and beyond! Credentialed teachers means more college classes offered to our high school students. We thank CREEED for assisting us to provide endless opportunities for our students’ success.”

“We are proud of EPCC’s Dual Credit & Early College High School partnerships with our local Independent School Districts,” said El Paso Community College President Dr. William Serrata. “CREEED’s scholarships for educators have increased the number of high school faculty teaching college courses, helping our students earn credit towards college degrees even before while they graduate high school.”

"We know that college-readiness is a clear indicator of whether our students will pursue and successfully obtain a postsecondary degree or certificate. The goal of this scholarship is to increase college-readiness across the region by exposing more students to the rigor and idea of a college education,” said Richard A. Castro, Chairman of CREEED. "By investing in our teachers to deliver high-quality dual-credit courses, we are not only providing professional development opportunities to our educators, but giving our students a head-start at college coursework and ensuring our region is able to see economic prosperity in the future.”