It's Different Here! The Early College: A New Secondary School Culture

The Early College High School (ECHS) initiative was developed through collaboration with state, federal, and private entities to create high schools that develop a college-bound/college-ready culture. Linked with postsecondary partnerships and targeting those underrepresented in postsecondary education, ECHS curricula allows opportunities for the average student to earn up to two years college credit while in high school at no cost to the student. ECHS students choose to forego a traditional high school setting and, instead, follow curricula plans designed to prepare students to be successful in postsecondary education programs of study and, ultimately, in the workforce. While attending ECHS, secondary school students complete dual-credit coursework aligned with career paths and postsecondary degree plans. A study of the motivations and aspirations of ECHS students was conducted utilizing student interviews and focus groups discussions at five Texas ECHS campuses. From this research, an educational culture emerged specific to these unique high school environments. This article highlights the ECHS cultural elements identified, and a number of the reasons why students studied prefer this setting over that of a more traditional high school.