The details
Chief Operations Officer Paula Barbaroux said the Collegiate Academy is projected to have enrollment space for an estimated 20 students in the incoming freshman class for the 2024-25 school year for nonresident students.
District documents state there is an opportunity to also fill a few spots in grades 10-12, provided those nonresident students have previously been successfully enrolled in a similar collegiate academy high school program.
According to the GCISD Collegiate Academy website, it is an early college high school that is the result of a collaboration with Tarrant County College’s northeast campus. By blending high school and college curricula simultaneously, Collegiate Academy offers students the opportunity to earn up to two years of college credit and an associate degree while attending high school and earning a high school diploma.
A closer look
District documents state under the contract with TCC, GCISD can have up to 400 students in grades 9-12. TCC has approved of the district pursuing this change to add enrollment and opportunity for other students.
“Part of the policy requirement is that [nonresident students'] acceptance in the program requires an interview and then criteria that the student would need to meet in order to attend the Collegiate Academy,” Barbaroux said.
What they’re saying
“I’d like to thank the leadership team for coming up with creative ways to help out the district financially,” Place 3 trustee Tammy Nakamura said. “I think it’s a great idea.”
Place 2 trustee Becky St. John, who serves as the Collegiate Academy liaison on the board, praised the policy change and added that she hopes other programs can also allow nonresident transfers in the future.
“I look forward to us doing this on a greater basis to some of our programs that still remain attractive to people outside the district, such as the Aspire Academy,” St. John said. “I’m really, really glad to see this come to fruition.”
