ECHS Leadership Team

ECHS District Support
Karen McCarley, Director of Counseling and College Readiness

Pasadena ECHS
Aldo Prado - Dean of Instruction
Jennifer Owens - Counselor

Sam Rayburn ECHS
Lacey Lee - Dean of Instruction
Naomi San Miguel - Counselor

Pasadena Memorial ECHS
Jon Thompson - Dean of Instruction
Laura Milam - Counselor

ECHS Central
Sarah Burke - Dean of Students
Kristin Peterson - Counselor

South Houston ECHS
Justin Wingard - Dean of Instruction
Cristiana Santillan - Counselor

J. Frank Dobie ECHS
Ryan Peel - Dean of Instruction
Angi Watkins - Counselor

ECHS South
Stefanie Maslowski - Dean of Students
Erin Thompson - Counselor

San Jacinto College
Athena Walker - Dual Credit Director, Central Campus
Paula Armstead - Dual Credit Director, South Campus
 

Pasadena ISD ECHS Mission

We will prepare all students in the Pasadena ISD Early College High Schools to be confident, independent, and skilled citizens.  We will provide a rigorous curriculum, along with the academic and social-emotional support, that students need to be successful in every aspect of their education.

Early College High School Background

Pasadena ISD Early College High Schools follow the Texas Education Agency (TEA) blueprint for Texas College and Career Readiness School Models. We have an open enrollment program that blends high school and college coursework to help historically underserved and at-risk students develop technical skills, earn college credentials and degrees, and pursue in-demand career paths. We provide students with a seamless pathway from high school to college.  Students take college courses, along with their high school classes, which give them the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate Degree from San Jacinto College.  In ECHS, students begin taking two college classes in ninth grade and progress by taking more college classes each year.  By their senior year, most students are nearly finished with their high school requirements and are ready to focus on a full college schedule.  Pasadena ISD has a School Within a School model (SWS), which means that freshmen and sophomores take their college classes on the comprehensive high school campus, and juniors and seniors take all their classes at San Jacinto College. 

Admission, Application Procedure and Lottery Process

The ECHS cohort size is limited to 125-135 students per campus to allow campus staff to provide the necessary support students need to be successful. When more students apply than there are available seats, a lottery system is used to determine who is offered a seat in the program. Once applications have been reviewed, all students who meet the criteria will be placed into a weighted lottery with additional weight or increased chances being given to those students who are historically underserved by colleges, identified as at-risk or economically disadvantaged, or will be the first in their family to attend college. The lottery process is tiered, starting with students who live in the school district and plan to attend their zoned high school. This ensures that local students have priority in the selection process.

If students do not live in the PISD attendance zone but still wish to apply, there are additional criteria to consider. For instance, students who currently attend a Pasadena ISD intermediate school on limited open enrollment (out-of-district transfer), or those whose parents work in the school district may apply and may be given a higher priority on a lottery waiting list than a student who attends a non-Pasadena ISD intermediate school. However, it is important to note that students applying from outside the district are not guaranteed a seat in the Early College High School program. 

The lottery priority is as follows:

TIER 1 (LOTTERY PRIORITY ONE) - Student lives in the Pasadena ISD attendance zone

• Currently enrolled in the zoned PISD school
• Currently enrolled in a PISD school on in-district transfer
• Currently enrolled in another school/district

All applicants who live in the PISD attendance zone will enter the ECHS lottery for their zoned high school.  Students not granted initial admission into the ECHS program will be waitlisted in the order determined by the lottery.  Sometimes students are matched to an ECHS and opt out of ECHS, which releases a seat.  Students on the district waitlist will be offered unclaimed seats at ECHS programs.

Students may apply for an in-district transfer to another high school’s ECHS program AFTER the outcome of the lottery. In-district transfer applications are available in March. Once the in-district transfer is accepted, the student may then request for admission to the transfer campus’ ECHS program or to be placed on the transfer campus’ ECHS waiting list. Acceptance of an in-district transfer does not guarantee acceptance into the ECHS program at that campus.

TIER 2 (LOTTERY PRIORITY TWO) - Student lives outside the Pasadena ISD attendance zone

• Currently enrolled in a PISD school on limited open enrollment and parent is PISD employee
• Currently enrolled in a PISD school on limited open enrollment and parent is not PISD employee
• Currently enrolled in another school/district and parent is PISD employee
• Currently enrolled in another school/district and parent is not PISD employee

All students who live outside the PISD attendance zone will not be included in the lottery with students who live in the PISD attendance zone.  Students who live outside the PISD attendance zone will complete an application for approved limited open enrollment transfer to attend a PISD high school.  If the student is interested in attending the ECHS program, he will declare his intention on the transfer application. A lottery process will be used for these students and they will be placed on the waiting list for the intended high school.  Students whose parent is a PISD employee will be moved to the top of the waiting list in the lottery assigned order.

In-district students who are on the waiting list will be given priority for admission into their zoned Early College High School (ECHS) program. Additionally, out-of-district students will be requested to rank their preferred ECHS programs for consideration when their name reaches the top of the waiting list.

Pasadena ISD ensures consistency across all campuses, therefore students must attend their zoned ECHS. If an incoming student changes residency after acceptance letters have been distributed for the next school year, then the student will be placed on the wait list at the campus to which they are now zoned. If a current ECHS student moves (or plans to move) to another school zone in the middle of the school year, then the sending and receiving deans will meet with family to discuss the options available.

Program Expectations

• Provides enhanced learning experiences both on and off campus. 
• Prepares students to start college coursework in their ninth grade year.
• Supports students by fostering the development of meaningful relationships with teachers, administrators and college faculty.
• Provides quality teaching from specially trained, highly motivated and qualified staff.
• Provides assessment of learning in traditional and non-traditional methods.
• Provides access to an ECHS Counselor and a SJC Educational Planner.
• Provides student access to college courses based on scheduled course sequence.
• Provides opportunity for students to earn an Associate’s Degree or up to 62 college credits.
• Waives tuition and textbook costs for first-time college courses.
• Provides intensive college and career preparation including service learning, university visits, career tours, and job shadowing.

Student Expectations

• Commit to ECHS for entire four year program.
• Take Pre-AP and AP level coursework.
• Commit to at least two to three hours of study time per night.
• Commit to stay organized, avoid procrastination, and manage time effectively.
• Commit to a healthy lifestyle.
• Participate in all non-traditional learning experiences and assessments.
• Participate in all ECHS activities including individual assignments, group work, presentations, off-campus learning, job shadowing, and university visits.
•  Ask for help when needed.
• Produce high quality work or rework until it is high quality.
• Maintain high academic and behavior standards at all times.
• Be a positive role model for the PISD ECHS program and San Jacinto College.
• Commit to excellent attendance and be on time for ALL classes.
• Comply with all ECHS, Pasadena ISD, and San Jacinto Community College policies and procedures.

Parent Expectations

• Parents must keep contact information updated at all times.
• Parents must attend conferences as needed.
• Support your student’s educational experience in every way possible.
• Provide transportation to your student’s school, library, or group meeting on days and times that PISD schools are not in session.
• Ensure that your student attends all high school and college classes as well as off campus learning activities.
• Schedule routine doctor, dentist visits, family errands, etc. after school hours.
• Provide financial support for off-campus learning activities and recommended educational trips, and/or support your student in fund-raising opportunities to cover these costs.
• Understand that the PISD ECHS program is a four year commitment. Transferring to a traditional high school is not an ideal option due to course structure and sequencing at ECHS.
• Provide daily time (two to three hours) for your student to do homework and study without other family or household responsibilities.
• Provide your student with a space in the home to study and do daily homework that is comfortable and free of distractions.
• Check your student’s high school and college grades online in Skyward and Blackboard on weekly basis.  Provide assistance if he/she is experiencing difficulty or contact the ECHS Counselor for assistance.                 
• It will not be practical for your student to have a job during the school year.  Please speak with the ECHS Counselor if your financial situation changes and your child must work.
• Make every effort to ensure that your student gets enough sleep each night.
• If you have Internet access, understand your student will need to be online to do work and please give your ECHS student top priority in your household.
• As a college student, your student will be exposed to college level materials.  If you have questions about the appropriateness of certain material, please contact the ECHS Dean.
• Please understand that your student will be doing more work than a traditional high school student and may have extra stress.  Help is always available to you and your students.  Please contact the ECHS Counselor if you have concerns.
• Support your student by attending events and volunteering to help when possible.

Discipline Guidelines

• It is a district goal for every ECHS student to enjoy a secure learning environment and rich educational experience.
• All ECHS students must follow the Pasadena ISD and San Jacinto College Codes of Conduct. 
• Consequences for inappropriate behavior should include opportunities for students to learn from their mistakes, therefore, we adhere to a "Two Strike Policy" which is described below:
• If a student commits two offenses which result in ISS or Guidance Center, the student will be exited from ECHS. 
• If a student commits an offense which results in DAEP (Summit) placement, the student will be exited from ECHS.
• Discipline action taken by San Jacinto College that interferes with attendance in college classes, may result in removal from ECHS.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

Parents have the right to inspect and review education records, to seek to attend education records, and to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records, however, these rights transfer to the student when the student turns 18 or attends a post-secondary institution.  Parents may contact the ECHS Dean or Counselor at any time, but please do not attempt to contact college instructors directly.  Information about FERPA and waivers are discussed in detail at ECHS parent meetings.

Counseling

An ECHS Counselor is available at each campus and at San Jacinto College to assist students with a wide range of personal concerns, including areas such as social, family, or emotional issues.  The ECHS Counselors offer classroom guidance lessons in many areas such as professional communication and stress management.  

Students should meet frequently with their ECHS counselor to plan for the future.  The ECHS counselor will develop individualized plans for each ECHS student according to the student’s academic strengths, career interests, and the SJC degree plan that is the best fit for them.

Course Scheduling

The district Curriculum and Instruction and Academic Services departments must approve any special schedule requests. 

Students must have prior approval from Dean and Counselor to take:

• Mini or summer sessions
• Any online college or high school class

Off Periods - Seniors only (must be approved by Dean and Counselor)

To qualify for an off Period, Students must:

• have earned 37 hours prior to entering senior year
• be in "good standing" at SJC
• have no previous attendance or discipline issues
• have made a C or better in all college classes during junior year (no Ds or Fs)
• have at least two assignment periods in their schedule after off period is assigned
• not participate in home campus elective
• have their own transportation to and from SJC

Rules Regarding scheduling off periods

• College class schedule will not be changed to accommodate an off period.
• Off periods are scheduled Monday-Thursday and students must arrive by the designated attendance time.
• Students must report to SJC from 7:00am - 11:30am on Friday.
• Off periods may be revoked at any time if students do not meet the above criteria.

Retaking Failed Classes

• If students fail a college class in 9th grade, they will retake the failed class in the summer before 11th grade.
• If students fail a college class in 10th - 12th grade, they will retake failed classes as soon as possible.  
• ECHS counselors will make decisions based on individual student needs.  Summer and mini sessions will be most likely be needed.
• If students fail a high school course, they will be scheduled into summer credit recovery or Edgenuity. 
• Students are not allowed to retake passed college classes until after they graduate from ECHS.

Withdrawal From College Classes

Students are NOT allowed to drop a college class.  

TSIA and College Readiness

All PISD ECHS students have to take the TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment). The TSIA evaluates students’ skill levels so we can provide the appropriate course program, as well any needed academic support. All ECHS students are assessed for college readiness in reading, writing and mathematics. Individualized tutorials for TSIA are available during the school day, after school, and on Saturdays.

The goal is for students to pass all sections of the TSIA by the end of 10th grade.  Students must acheive College Ready status in order to be enrolled in courses at San Jacinto College as 11th graders. 

Students must achieve College Ready status no later than  June 30th during the summer prior to 11th grade. 

School Calendars

ECHS will follow a schedule that facilitates the offering of college and high school courses simultaneously. For SJC courses taken at the high school location or the SJC location, the instructional calendar will follow the SJC instructional calendar.  Students must be prepared to attend college classes even during the Pasadena ISD student holidays.

Pass Rate

Students are expected to pass a minimum of 75 percent of all hours attempted. This includes coursework attempted at San Jacinto College and coursework transferred from other institutions. The following grades are considered successfully completed: A, B, C, D. For repeated courses, only the course with the highest grade is used to calculate the pass rate; however, these courses will still be included in your total attempted hours.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

• Warning: If you failed to make satisfactory academic progress (GPA of 2.0) in the semester you will be placed on academic probation.
• Probation: If for any reason you haven’t met the GPA of 2.0 again, you will be placed on academic probation. Think of it as a heads-up, a way of letting you know what you need to do. Students placed on academic probation by the college may be exited from ECHS.
• Suspension: If you are not in compliance by the end of your probation term (GPA of 2.0), you will be placed on academic suspension and you are no longer eligible to take a college course for the next term. Students placed on academic suspension by the college will be exited from ECHS.

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Grades

SJC Grade Reporting Change - Fall 2025

Grade reports and progress reports are not issued during the course of the semester for college courses. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor grades throughout the semester. Instructors will only communicate with students about their grades, so parents must communicate with their student. A student’s high school grade for a dual credit course will be reported on the high school transcript at the end of each semester; the college grade, on the student’s college transcript. 

Academic Honesty

Cheating and plagiarism are considered serious offenses by both Pasadena ISD and San Jacinto College.

Cheating 

Students must be completely honest in all phases of their work. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• dishonesty of any kind on examinations, assignments, or program requirements;
• unauthorized possession of examinations or unapproved notes or sources at any time, whether used or not;
• copying or obtaining information from another student during an examination or performance of a lab skill or competency;
• alteration or falsification of course or academic records; and
• unauthorized entry into or presence in any office.

Plagiarism

Documenting the use of others’ work is important because it recognizes the original author’s effort, establishes the student writer’s credibility, and supports the audience’s future research. Plagiarism is offering the work of another as one’s own, intentionally or unintentionally, without proper acknowledgment. Students who fail to give appropriate credit for ideas or material they take from another, whether a fellow student or a resource writer, are guilty of plagiarism (i.e., stealing the words or ideas of another).

The college may contract with companies or organizations that provide plagiarism-detection services. Such companies may receive students’ work for the purpose of comparing the students’ work with a reference database. Students enrolling at San Jacinto College agree as a condition of their enrollment that their work may be submitted to such companies for the purpose of plagiarism detection and that the company may retain a copy of the work for plagiarism-detection purposes. Such companies will not copy, use, or distribute the students’ work.

Responding to Violations

The Faculty have the responsibility to initiate disciplinary action in response to violations of the rules regarding academic honesty. A faculty member is responsible for collecting any evidence of cheating at the time it occurs. A student may not withdraw from the course during the investigation of an incident of academic dishonesty or when a course grade of F has been imposed. A record will be kept of any imposed penalty or disciplinary action.

Penalties

If, in the judgment of the instructor, cheating, plagiarism, or collusion has occurred, he or she may assess a penalty with a recorded reprimand:

• recommendation for suspension from the College or expulsion from a program, which is submitted to the provost; the provost’s decision is final.
• failure of the course; the student may appeal the grade through the Final Grade Appeal process.
• failure of the assignment by the instructor; the instructor’s decision is final.
• reduced grade on the assignment by the instructor; the instructor’s decision is final.
• a reasonable penalty assessed by the instructor; the instructor’s decision is final.

The instructor will notify the student of his or her decision concerning the student’s grade and whether or not further disciplinary action is recommended before filing the report as indicated below. If a student will not meet with the instructor or if notification cannot take place because of a student’s unavailability or incorrect contact information, the process proceeds as specified. Faculty should also communicate with their department chairs/program directors and deans regarding any violation of the college honesty code. Should the instructor recommend suspension or expulsion of the student, the provost has the responsibility and authority to determine whether the student will be suspended or expelled.

Attendance

Attendance is crucial part of success at ECHS. Students are expected to attend all high school and college classes. Students must adhere to Pasadena ISD attendance policy, as well as, the policies of the San Jacinto College instructors.  Students are also expected to attend all off-campus activities and any planned educational travel.  Appointments should always be scheduled outside the school day when possible.

Consecutive Absences

After the tenth consecutive absence, any student age 16 or over will be dropped from the school’s enrollment unless the school has been notified of student’s need to be absent for more than 10 consecutive days.

Juniors and Seniors

In order for students to be counted present for the day, they must be present at the assigned ADA time at San Jacinto College.  Attendance for students who have a PISD class during ADA time will be entered by that teacher into Skyward.  Students who do not have a PISD class during ADA time, typically those involved in extracurricular activities on their home campus, must follow directions given and check in with the appropriate person on campus at ADA time.  All students signing in after that time will be counted absent for the day.

Freshmen and Sophomores

Students need to be in classroom before the tardy bell for each class. If the student fails to be on time a tardy pass will be required.   

Parent Responsibility

Parents will be notified when unexcused absences occur. If your student is going to be absent, parents should notify the ECHS campus office and send a note. Parents will be notified in cases of excessive tardiness, and an improvement plan will be developed which may include, but is not limited to, loss of driving privileges or time made up afterschool. Students must provide any documentation for absences within 3 days of being absent. Documentation will not be accepted late for any circumstances. Students should always bring notes or proper documentation from doctors, clinics, or hospitals when they have a medical excuse. These notes should be taken to the appropriate teacher or attendance office before the instructional day begins. Any student in grades 9-12 who misses more than ten (10) classes or days during a semester will lose the opportunity to earn credit for the course(s) affected.

Program Facilities

Students enrolled in PISD ECHS have access to the same facilities as all other San Jacinto College students including the Student Center, math labs, writing labs, Counseling Center, computer labs, Student Success Center, weight room, and many San Jacinto College clubs. Students must be prepared to show their San Jacinto College ID in order to use the facility and must behave in a manner that reflects the college standards for behavior. 

Meal Information

Breakfast and lunch are provided to ECHS students at the high school campuses and at San Jacinto College. 

Technology

Students will be issued a Pasadena ISD device.  Students have access to the San Jacinto College computer labs and computers in the library. These computers do not have the same filters as traditional high school computers.  Students are allowed to bring their own technology to campus provided they have signed an acceptable use policy and assume all responsibility for the equipment.  Campus personnel are not responsible for the equipment in any way and will not assume any responsibility for lost, damaged or malfunctioning equipment.

Textbooks and Course Materials

College textbooks are very expensive and will be purchased by PISD each semester as needed, but students MUST turn them in (if required) at the end of each class or grades will be withheld.  Teachers will provide textbooks for class use as needed. Students should carry their binder, flash drive, and planner with them at all times.

Tutorials and Intervention

Tutorials are an integral component of ECHS. Tutorials provide an opportunity for all students to get help needed in specific content areas each week.  Student should attend tutorials if they feel that they need additional assistance or homework help.  ECHS teams meet each week to discuss student progress and the appropriate interventions needed for each student.