South Texas ISD and UTRGV commit to expanding dual enrollment program

This week South Texas Independent School District (STISD) and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) held an announcement and signing ceremony to commemorate the expansion of their longstanding partnership, which now includes all four of STISD’s high schools as collegiate schools.

Through the signing, STISD and UTRGV committed to further developing and expanding the current dual enrollment opportunities offered to benefit current and future STISD students and families of the Rio Grande Valley. With South Texas ISD Health Professions in Mercedes, South Texas ISD Medical Professions in Olmito, South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes, and South Texas ISD World Scholars in Edinburg now officially collegiate schools, students attending each of these campuses will have the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credit through UTRGV by the time they graduate from high school. With a focus on core completion, the available courses will count towards students’ majors.

All fees related to taking these courses will be covered at no cost to the student or family. As a student of both institutions, participating students will get the best of both worlds, with opportunities to continue participating in courses and extracurricular activities at STISD while also attending courses at UTRGV and experiencing the university setting and collegiate schedule.

The expansion takes effect during the 2022-2023 school year, and students will have access to expanded dual enrollment opportunities by the spring of 2023 while the district continues working with UTRGV to develop plans for the 2023-2024 school year.

About STISD

South Texas ISD is a state- and nationally-recognized public school district offering tuition-free college- and career-preparation to students in grades 6-12 from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

The open-enrollment, all-magnet district is comprised of seven secondary campuses within the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, including four high schools – South Texas ISD Health Professions in Mercedes, South Texas ISD Medical Professions in Olmito, South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes, and South Texas ISD World Scholars in Edinburg; two middle schools – South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy in Edinburg and South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy in San Benito; and one virtual campus, South Texas ISD Virtual Academy, now in its second year, through which students in grades 6-10 (and eventually grades 6-12) can learn 100 percent from home.

For additional information, call 1-800-21STUDY or visit www.stisd.net.

About UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, Weslaco and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.