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ECHS Benchmark 3
Target Population

B3 Target Population

Purpose of Target Population

The Early College High School (ECHS) shall target and enroll historically underserved students. The campus must enable students who are at-risk of dropping out or those who wish to accelerate completion of high school to combine high school courses and college-level courses. Enrollment decisions shall not be based on state assessment scores, discipline history, teacher recommendations, parent or student essays, minimum grade point average (GPA), or other criteria that create barriers for student enrollment.

Design Elements

All ECHSs must implement and meet the following:

3.1 Recruitment and Enrollment Policies

The ECHS shall be open enrollment for all students and shall identify, recruit, and enroll subpopulations that are historically underrepresented in college courses. The ECHS shall coordinate activities with feeder middle school(s) and higher education partner(s) to participate in recruitment activities. The ECHS must enroll a 9th grade class during the first year of implementation and will progressively scale up by adding at least one grade level per year after the first year of implementation. If an ECHS phases out their services, the academy must be prepared to provide services to each enrolled cohort through graduation.

3.2 Documenting Enrollment Procedures
The ECHS shall clearly document recruitment and enrollment policies and practices, refining and improving them annually based on data reviews.
Artifacts Documenting Enrollment Procedures Example File
icon file download Written admission policy, and enrollment application
icon file download Written recruitment plan, including a timeline of recruitment and enrollment events, and recruitment materials for distribution at feeder middle schools and other appropriate locations in the community
3.3 Stakeholder Engagement
Recruitment and enrollment processes (including marketing and recruitment plans, materials, and timelines) shall include input from key stakeholders (e.g., parents, community members, higher education partners) and shall include regular activities to educate students, counselors, principals, parents, and school board and community members.
Artifacts Stakeholder Engagement Example File
icon file download Brochures and marketing in Spanish, English, and/or other relevant language(s)
3.4 Lottery System
For any ECHS at capacity, the ECHS shall use either a performance-blind, open-access lottery system that encourages and considers applications from all students (all students have an equal opportunity for acceptance, regardless of background or academic performance) or a weighted lottery that favors students who are historically underrepresented students for the ECHS. Districts are encouraged to standardize lottery practices across campuses implementing the College and Career Readiness School Models.
Artifacts Lottery System Example File
icon file download Written lottery procedures (district-level or campus-level)

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B4 Academic Infrastructure