A VISION for the future of education in Collin County is taking shape just off of Hwy. 121 in Allen. It is a vision of partnership and progress, of planning and aspiration, which will provide students with the best educational options Texas has to offer.
In the fall of 2020, the Collin College Technical Campus, a 340,000 square-foot, three-story comprehensive campus dedicated largely to career and technical education (CTE), will join the Allen ISD STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Center at a site just east of Exchange Parkway, creating what could be a model for dual credit learning, shared facilities, and institutional cooperation between secondary and post-secondary schools.
The college is working on significant partnerships with Allen, Frisco, McKinney, and Plano ISDs, which will allow the districts to expand CTE options without duplicating costly technical programs. Technical dual credit programs will benefit from the larger shared student base of the four districts while also reducing the students’ post-secondary educational costs and preparing them more efficiently for the local job market. Local educational leaders have been engaged in discussions for the last two years and are excited as planning is becoming reality.
“We have a phenomenal opportunity to do great things for the students of Collin County, and Allen in particular, thanks to our working relationship with Allen ISD and the partnerships we have formed,” Collin College District President Dr. Neil Matkin said. “In addition to the technical programming shared by all four districts, Allen High School will have a Dual Credit Academy located at the Collin College Technical Campus. The adjacency to the STEAM Center will add highly-technical career-oriented experiences right next door.”
At the heart of this cooperative dual credit learning effort between Allen ISD and Collin College is a 40,000 square-foot dual credit learning environment that will be located at the technical campus and funded by Allen ISD. Reserved for Allen students during the day, the space will greatly expand the learning opportunities for dual credit students in Allen ISD. Collin College will use the space when Allen High School classes are not in session, providing night and weekend educational opportunities for other students that would not have been available otherwise.
The ISD will reclaim the 8,500 square-foot dual credit space currently used by the college at Allen High School, allowing for new uses by Allen ISD.
“We think it is a great investment,” Allen ISD Superintendent Dr. Scott Niven said. “We have outgrown the current facility at our high school as dual credit has continued to grow. We were looking for different options, and this gives us a lot more square footage for our students during the day, and it gives space for Collin College in the evening. This is going to make a huge difference.”
Dual credit enrollment at Allen High School grew from 495 students in Fall 2016 to 784 students in Fall 2018, and the district believes the program can be a boon for students seeking a college degree. The district is currently developing a program for students to earn an associate degree while still in high school, significantly decreasing the tuition burden for students continuing to earn a four-year degree.
“I think that parents and students are seeing the benefit of taking dual credit in both college preparation and financially,” Dr. Niven said. “Success for our students looks many different ways. We want to make sure those pathways are open and all students have opportunities for success.”
For some students, that pathway to success will be career and technical education in programs like automotive, construction management, computer-aided drafting and design, and HVAC. The proximity of the Collin College Technical Campus to the STEAM Center provides several opportunities for the districts to work together.
“We are very excited about what we can do in collaboration with the STEAM Center,” said Dr. Toni Jenkins, senior vice president of campus operations for Collin College. “There are opportunities to allow Allen students to experience the technology at the technical campus. There are also opportunities for Collin to work directly with students at the STEAM Center.
“I think that both parties are looking to the future. Finding ways to work together will provide tremendous opportunities for all of our students.”