Leander ISD eighth grade students have until March 20 to submit applications for the district's Early College High School. The deadline was extended from March 6 to March 20 due to "overwhelming community interest," according to a March 8 LISD announcement.

As of March 8, the district has received over 100 applications for the program's inaugural class, according to the district. Because the ECHS is limited to 125 students, a lottery system will be used for program admittance.

The district's Early College High School program is a partnership between LISD and Austin Community College. The program will begin in August at ACC’s San Gabriel Campus with plans to remain at the ACC campus in Leander for a few years, according to LISD.

The tuition-free program will allow students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and either an associate degree or 60 credit hours. However, students in the program cannot participate in traditional extracurricular activities through LISD.

Students and families can find applications and more information about the Early College High School online at https://echs.leanderisd.org.