The partnership will be through the university's Texas Tech K-12 program, which is an accredited and approved provider by the Texas Education Agency that offers various programs, including full-time diplomas, advanced placement and dual credit options, and credit by exam options, among others.
What you need to know
Officials clarified the initiative is strictly a “virtual program”—not a separate virtual school. It allows students to access full-time online instruction through a partnership with Texas Tech while remaining enrolled in CCISD, Superintendent Karen Engle said.
The effort behind this initiative stems from the district consolidating all virtual learning options under a new brand called “Clear Link.” This brand puts all of the district’s current virtual options into one umbrella, CCISD’s Chief Communications Officer Elaina Polsen said.
Current virtual options include:
- Flexible scheduling, which allows high school students to take virtual courses during first and seventh periods
- Clear Access, which offers six different courses taken outside of the school day to accelerate learning
- Clear Stars, which is the district’s virtual credit recovery program
- Dual credit and hybrid options, in which the district partners with College of the Mainland and San Jacinto College’s south campus for CCISD students to attend courses both virtually and in person
The initiative will be used to target students that are living within CCISD boundaries, but are not attending CCISD schools due to being enrolled in other virtual programs, officials said.
CCISD trustee Arturo Sanchez noted the district loses “500-700 students” annually to virtual academies.
According to data from the TEA, the number of students who transferred out of CCISD increased by over 47% from 2020 to 2025.
CCISD officials spent the last year exploring expanding virtual pathways for students by looking into different schools across Texas that offered virtual options.
Officials will now look to partner with Texas Tech through consultations with university officials, including Texas Tech K-12 Superintendent Robert Bayard.
“We are going to continue into the next phase of development for a virtual program that our students will be able to have more options for their schedules, so that students can design the learning journey that makes sense for them,” CCISD’s Director of Learning Technology Kelly Lane said.
