Magnet school prepares for first class

The freshman class at Brownsville Early College High School begins classes on Aug. 27, just like students at any other school in the Brownsville Independent School District

But unlike students at BISD's other high schools, these freshmen plan to graduate with as many as 60 semester hours of college credit and an associate of arts degree in addition to a high school diploma.

BISD recently finished recruiting the first freshman class for BECHS - a few more than 100 students - and Roni Rentfro, the district's former grant writer, was named principal. The school will add 100 students a year until it reaches 400 students, and then stay that size.

"In the interview process, I think all of us were touched emotionally by the desire of these students," said Sharon Moore, administrator for secondary curriculum and instruction. "They're not ‘A' students necessarily, and now they're getting the chance to shine. The way they want to learn is refreshing and exciting."

The school has unusual entrance requirements: Enrollment is limited to students who would be the first in their family to complete a college degree. And middle-of-the-road students who have shown potential are preferred over high achievers.

The district wanted to find "solid students looking for the opportunity to excel," Rentfro said. "We're really hoping the small learning community atmosphere will make all students successful."

The early college school will be a science and technology magnet school, meaning it will emphasize the so-called STEM curriculum of science, technology, engineering and math. Rentfro said students will be expected to perform at the same level as college students.

The school is a collaborative effort between BISD and the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. Students will attend classes on the UTB-TSC campus during the junior and senior years under dual enrollment.

The students were recruited from each of BISD's 10 middle schools. The next task will be hiring their teachers and a counselor. Rentfro said she would be looking for student-oriented teachers with a strong content background, adding that the biggest immediate challenge is "pulling it all together and having a successful start to the school year."

Crews are busy converting what was once Clearwater Elementary at 708 Palm Blvd., into a small learning community high school.

If the experiment at BECHS works, other similar schools are a possibility in the future, said Salvador Cavazos, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

"If everything goes well, we can open others," Cavazos said, adding that BECHS will not go over 400 students, which is generally considered the optimum size for small learning community schools.

Rentfro is a science teacher by training, a Brownsville native and Hanna High School graduate who has been with BISD for 22 years.

Although this will be her first experience as a principal, she was the project director for BISD's Urban Systemic Project Math and Science Reform, which overhauled the district's math and science curriculum between 2000 and 2006.

The school will be funded through grants from the Texas High School Project, a $261 million public-private initiative committed to increasing high school graduation and college readiness rates across Texas.