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The Hutto ISD board of trustees approved two memorandums of understanding that will phase the school district out of the Legacy Early College High School program and begin its own early college high school program.

The Legacy program is a partnership with Taylor ISD and Temple College that allows high school students to take college-level classes and graduate with an associates degree and a high school diploma. The program is intended for students who are first-generation college goers or at risk of not going to college.

"As we looked at budgeting and the cost and availability to provide service as enrollment has grown and the changes with Temple College, we feel we can serve the students' needs better at home in Hutto," Superintendent Doug Killian said. "We feel the best thing is to provide closure for the students currently in the program and start a new program for next year's ninth graders."

The district could begin its own early college high school program in the 2012–13 school year with about 50 ninth grade students through a partnership with Temple College.

Killian said starting its own early college high school program will help the district save money and expand the district's dual credit program, which allows students to take up to two classes a year that count toward high school and college credit.

Temple College is applying for Middle College designation that would allow students in Hutto ISD to take more than two dual credit classes in the high school.