Dual Credit Pathways: Creating a Seamless Transition 
Texas State Technical College, West Texas

Debbie Karl, Associate Vice President of Student Learning
Maria C. Aguirre-Acuna, Director of Admissions & Records/Registrar


Background:
Texas State Technical College System is the only state-supported technical college system in Texas. 
TSTC West Texas Profile:
* Approximately 1800 students enrolled
* 368 Dual Credit Students
* 11 ISDs Within 100 Mile Radius Currently Participating in Dual Credit
Academic Dual Credit
Benefits of Dual Credit Pathways
A guided course of study that focuses students on a career path based on the Achieve Texas Career Clusters
Completion of a Pathway results in a Marketable Skills Achievement Award that students can share with employers as evidence of entry-level skills
Acquired skills equip students for the workplace after graduation or matriculation to TSTC to finish an AAS or certificate
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What Is a Marketable Skills Achievement Award? 
MSA
THECB defines an MSA as a credit program of 9-12 SCH or a workforce continuing education program of 144-359 contact hours that meet the minimum standard for program length specified in the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) but are too short to qualify as certificate programs on the Coordination Board program inventory
So...How Did We Do It?
Getting Started: 
Step 1
Identified programs at TSTC that fit well with AchieveTexas
Consulted with faculty
Challenged with finding four, entry-level courses that met the following considerations:
Appropriate for High School Students?
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Adaptable to Limited Facilities?
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Taught by College and/or High School Teachers?
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Best Setting for Delivery of Instruction and Needs of Students?
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Method of Delivery—Online, Face-to-Face or Hybrid?
Step 2
A task force consisting of the Registrar, SACS Liaison, AVP of Instruction, and Curriculum Coordinator met to iron out the details.
For Example:
Do We Need to Submit a Substantive Change?
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Determine how to differentiate dual credit courses in our database            
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Application process, billing, grades, etc. 
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Determine allocation of resources
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Step 3
Designed a Career Pathway Guidebook for students, parents, high school counselors and principals to use as a reference
Achieve Texas Career Clusters
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What dual credit is and how it may be taught
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Student eligibility requirements
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Cost of participation, including tuition, textbook and fees
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Explanation of MSAs 
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Integration of Career Pathway MSAs into ISD 4-Year Plans
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Step 4
Sales and Service (Ongoing) 
Meet with high school administrators who choose MSAs that they would like to offer their students
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High schools who request that their faculty teach the course submit teacher credentials and contact information to TSTC
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Method of instruction and required support services are determined
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Sign MOU
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Students complete college application
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Collect required documentation such as student transcripts with TAKS scores and release forms
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Students are entered into college database
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High school counselors submit rosters of students who are in each course
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Textbooks are ordered
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Tuition, textbook and fee monies are collected 
Extending Our Reach
Many of our MSAs are offered as online courses, enabling ISDs who have limited resources and/or are in remote areas to participate in our dual credit program
Expanding Our Scope
TSTC instructors who specialize in online learning teach dual credit courses that are made up of students from several different ISDs all in the same class, but participating at different times. This makes it economically feasible to deliver dual credit to school districts that have a small number of participants. It also gives high schools the flexibility to schedule dual credit courses when it is best for them. 
Resources
N. Annette Smith, AVP of Student Learning
325.738.3342 
annette.smith@abilene.tstc.edu

Maria Aguirre-Acuna, Director of Admissions & Records/Registrar
325.235.7349
maria.aguirre@sweetwater.tstc.edu

For access to the TSTC West Texas Dual Credit Guidebook please view TSTC website under Dual Credit www.westtexas.tstc.edu
vs.
Technical Dual Credit
SACS Liaison
What's Included?
The high school can have a dedicated classroom with computers and an in-class facilitator who supervises students as they work on individual courses in their chosen pathway 
Our instructors are available to their students through IM, email and phone throughout the day
TSTC Harlingen
TSTC Marshall
TSTC Waco
TSTC West Texas
Abilene
Breckenridge
Brownwood
Sweetwater
Curriculum Coordinator
Registrar
AVP of Instruction