SUCCESS STORY: PSJA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

SU C CESS STOR Y: P SJA
IN D EPENDENT SCHOOL DI STRICT
The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, serving 32,000 students, made a
commitment that all students would graduate ready for and connected to college. This South
Texas district created a diverse, districtwide portfolio of school designs and options to enable
all students to graduate high school with at least 12 college credits, whatever their skills and
career aspirations. Working with the district and its partners, we helped develop this plan.
PHOTOGRAPH ©2011 Michael Stravato, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District
PSJA started putting early college for all in place
with the least likely students: dropouts. When
Superintendent Dr. Daniel King arrived in 2007,
he faced a dropout rate that was double the state
average. In partnership with South Texas College,
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo opened a dropout recovery
academy that helps dropouts and noncompleters
> > Strategic planning and consultation for district
leadership
> > School design consultation that identifies
pathways leading to high-wage, high-demand
careers and credentials in the local economy
> > Professional development and coaching for
finish their graduation requirements while beginning
teachers and school leaders in college-ready
college coursework leading toward a career
instructional strategies
credential. To this day, the College, Career, and
Technology Academy has graduated more than
1,000 former dropouts and off-track students and
bridged many of them to college. Dr. King used this
early win to make the case: “If these students can
do it, why can’t everyone?”
PSJA opened its first early college high school,
PSJA Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High
School, with the intention of using it to incubate the
idea of connecting all students to college. Out of the
first class of 115 ninth-graders, 100 of them would
be the first in their families to go to college. From
Since 2010, in partnership with Educate Texas,
there, the district opened additional early colleges
an organization that promotes college readiness
within each of its comprehensive high schools, as
statewide, Jobs for the Future has been helping
well as creating course sequences for all students
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo implement its vision of
to earn 12 or more college credits by graduation.
college success for all. Our work with the district
To identify these course sequences, we conducted
has included:
an audit of PSJA’s career and technology course
EARLY COLLEGE DESIGN SERVICES
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JOBS FOR THE FUTURE
offerings in order to align them with opportunities
PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD
in the local labor market. To support the district’s
goal of ensuring rigorous college-ready instruction
in every classroom, we have worked intensively in
the district schools, providing continuous coaching
for school leaders, lead teachers, and instructional
coaches. District-specific solutions we recommended
include:
> > All ninth graders take a college-readiness course
that explores available careers; emphasizes
reading, writing, and presentation skills; and
teaches college-ready behaviors, such as taking
notes and managing time.
> > Teachers support all juniors and seniors to pass
introductory English and math at the college
level so they can enter postsecondary without
need for remediation.
> > Through the district’s partner colleges, juniors
> > 44 schools serving 32,000 students
> > 4 comprehensive high schools, 5 alternative schools;
8,000 high school students
STUDENTS
> > 99% are Hispanic
> > 89% are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
> > 41% are English language learners
> > Most students are first generation college-bound
SUCCESS
> > PSJA has graduated 1,000 former dropouts and
noncompleters since 2007.
> > PSJA has raised four-year graduation rates from
and seniors will pursue six or more transferrable
62% to 87%, graduating a record 1,909 students in
college credits in their career pathways.
2012, compared to only 966 in 2007.
PSJA will finish putting these pathways in place
while phasing out courses that do not lead to
postsecondary education or careers. All these
changes, PSJA’s leaders say, are transforming the
» » The four-year graduation rate for limited English
proficiency students is 72%, exceeding state and
regional averages.
» » The four-year graduation rates for special
culture of the community and students’ perceptions
education students is 81%, compared with 54%
of what is possible for their future.
in 2007.
“You’re like, ‘Wow, this college offers you so many
> > Annual dropout rates have fallen by 75%.
things,’” said Sandro, a student at PSJA Southwest
> > 1,700 high school students took college courses in the
Early College. “It really makes you feel like you want
2010-11 school year, projected to rise to 3,500 once
to go to college. I can’t wait.”
every high school has implemented Early College
Designs.
> > PSJA doubled the number of students enrolling in
college after graduation in two years.
For more information, contact:
Caesar Mickens, [email protected], or visit www.jff.org/earlycollege
For more information on PSJA’s Early College Design work, see:
Launching Early College Districtwide at www.jff.org/publications
Jobs for the Future works with our partners to design and drive the adoption
of education and career pathways leading from college readiness to career
advancement for those struggling to succeed in today’s economy.
EARLY COLLEGE DESIGN SERVICES
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JOBS FOR THE FUTURE
TEL
617.728.4446 FAX 617.728.4857 [email protected]
88 Broad Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02110
122 C Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001
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