Round Rock Students To Graduate From College Program

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Community College and Round Rock Independent School District are slated to celebrate the first cohort of Early College High School graduates on Monday, officials announced.

More than 100 RRISD students are expected to graduate from the college district's early college program after earning their associate degrees at the same time they graduate high school, officials explained. The graduates have been invited to a drive-up ceremony at Kelly Reeves Stadium, 10211 W. Parmer Lane, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. .

The students and up to four guests from the same household, will be called to walk across the football field where their name will be announced and collect their diploma cover, officials said.

“This is such a monumental moment for these students,” Dr. Richard Rhodes, ACC president/CEO, said in a prepared statement. “They’re not only graduating high school, they’ve earned a college degree at the same time. The associate degree is highly valued by many employers today and can lead to in-demand jobs and higher earning potential for students. Our ECHS program is designed to open those doors to opportunity and it’s working to close equity gaps in our communities.”

About Early College High Schools Success

Austin Community College partners with a dozen schools across Central Texas for ECHS. The program allows students the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credit hours — an associate degree — at no cost. This spring, 324 students will graduate from the program, up from 164 in 2019. Last year, 100 percent of students from six of the seven Early College High Schools graduating classes "seamlessly transitioned to a four-year institution," officials noted.

Students’ course completion rates are at almost 70 percent, officials added, which is more than double the national average of 30 percent. The highest completion rates are at the Elgin program at 96 percent and Round Rock ECHS at 92 percent, officials said.

Other programs are offered at Austin ISD, Elgin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Bastrop ISD and Manor ISD. The program has successfully narrowed equity gaps. According to the data, among the past four graduating ECHS cohorts, 74 percent of graduates were Hispanic, 13 percent Black, 8 percent White, 1 percent Asian, and 3 percent were other.

For more information on the program, visit austincc.edu/echs.

About Austin Community College

Austin Community College is a nationally recognized two-year college serving Central Texas. ACC is focused on student success and providing affordable, flexible pathways to help students reach their education goals, learn new job skills, or advance their career. The college currently enrolls more than 70,000 students annually.