Bryan Collegiate High School

Memorandum of Understanding

July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2031

Memorandum of Understanding Between Blinn College and Bryan Independent School District

This Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU" or "Agreement") is entered into by and between Bryan Independent School District ("BISD" or "District") and Blinn College District ("Blinn" or "College"), collectively referred to as the "Parties."

The purpose of this Agreement is to establish and maintain a collaborative Early College High School ("ECHS") partnership known as Bryan Collegiate High School ("BCHS"), through which students have the opportunity to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and substantial college credit leading toward an Associate of Arts degree while enrolled in high school.

The Parties enter into this Agreement pursuant to:

• Texas Education Code Chapters 28 and 29;
• Texas Administrative Code provisions governing Early College High Schools;
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board dual credit regulations;
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) standards;
• Texas Education Agency Early College High School Blueprint;
• Applicable federal and state laws governing public education and higher education.

BCHS has been designated as an Early College High School (ECHS) under the authority of Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.908(b) and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §102.1091. The designation and required process ensure that the district and the college maintain the integrity of the ECHS model, which was developed to target and serve students who might not otherwise attend college. The District must renew the designation annually.

Early College High Schools are small schools with enrollments between 400-500 or fewer students (100-125 students per grade cohort) that provide students the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and up to 60 semester credit hours of transferable college credits and/or an associate's degree. The ECHS will:

• provide dual credit at no cost to students;
• offer rigorous Instruction and accelerated courses;
• provide academic and social support services to help students succeed;
• increase college readiness; and
• reduce barriers to college access.

Furthermore, the Parties will:

• Establish a mutually beneficial partnership between Blinn and Bryan ISD that allows a flexible and creative response to the organizational missions, and fiscal needs of both institutions.
• Collaborate in planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of Early College High School programs, including the provision for faculty, staff, and administration; curriculum development; training; and student services.
• Select students based on the framework provided in the Texas Education Agency ECHS Blueprint.

Students enrolled in BCHS will be enrolled in courses of study that enable the student to combine high school courses and college-level courses to complete the Texas core curriculum and earn either an associate degree or at least 60 semester credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree. Program offerings shall be jointly determined by the Parties through a collaborative governance process consistent with the Early College High School model. Blinn College shall retain authority over all academic matters related to college-level coursework, including curriculum, faculty qualifications, and assessment, in accordance with applicable state and accrediting body requirements.

The dual credit college courses for high school students will be offered in accordance with Chapter 4 of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules, as codified under Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4 of the Texas Administrative Code.

Term of Agreement

This Agreement shall commence on July 1, 2026, and remain in effect through June 30, 2031.

The Parties may renew this Agreement by mutual written consent.

The Parties shall conduct a comprehensive review during the final year of the Agreement to determine whether to continue, modify, or renew the Agreement.

Joint Leadership Team

The Parties will establish a leadership structure that meets regularly to address design and sustainability issues. The Joint Leadership Team shall include and meet as needed with the following leaders or their designees:

Bryan ISD

• Superintendent
• Associate Superintendent of Teaching & Learning
• BCHS Principal
• Additional district personnel as designated

Blinn College

• College Chancellor
• Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
• Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
• Director of Dual Credit
• Additional college personnel as designated

Organization and Facilities

Location:
1901 E. Villa Maria
Bryan, TX 77802

BCHS is located approximately one mile from the Blinn Bryan Campus. Blinn agrees to provide access for all BCHS students to all of their main campus facilities (library, bookstore, food services, learning center, computer labs, etc.). BCHS students must adhere to Blinn’s policies and code of conduct requirements. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of individual student privilege.

Blinn College commits to providing qualified instructors for all college-level courses offered to BCHS students. Instruction may be delivered in various formats, including face-to-face, online, live online, or interactive video conferencing (IVC), as determined by Blinn College based on course requirements, instructor availability, and student needs.

BCHS shall provide appropriate classroom space and necessary equipment for any courses delivered on the BCHS campus and will collaborate with Blinn College to ensure that facilities and technology support all approved instructional modalities.

Operating Hours and Instructional Calendar

BCHS will operate within the District's normal operating hours. The District will align the BCHS academic calendar with the college calendar to minimize missed instructional days due to student holidays and district professional development days.

Services, Resources, and Financial Model

BISD and Blinn will cooperatively establish a learning community that blends high school and college, instilling a college-bound culture among the BCHS students.

Through this cooperative arrangement, BISD will provide:

1. Faculty and staff for the management and instruction of high school requirements and courses.
2. Facilities near Blinn are sufficient to allow BCHS to function as a stand-alone high school campus.
3. Students meeting the admissions criteria will be accepted for enrollment at BCHS, regardless of their attendance zone, under the guidelines of BISD board policy FDA.

Through this cooperative arrangement, Blinn will provide:

1. College-level courses offered at the BCHS campus from the ninth through twelfth grades. Blinn courses taken in the summer by BCHS students will be paid for by the respective student, except by recommendation of the Blinn and BCHS leadership, with final approval by Blinn administration.
2. To develop and maintain a sustainable financial model, Blinn will receive tuition/fee reimbursement from Bryan ISD each long semester. BISD will be charged $150 per course per student when Blinn provides an instructor and $42 per course per student when Blinn does not provide an instructor.
3. Dual credit courses and instructors as established herein
4. The College will provide adequate instructional support services, including advising and counseling, to meet the needs of BCHS students similar to those it provides for Blinn students. Appendix B establishes common advising strategies and terminology related to dual credit and college readiness. The designated academic advising contact for dual credit is:
   Shannon Williford
   Director, Dual Credit Programs
   979-209-8218
   shannon.williford@blinn.edu
5. Blinn student IDs for all BCHS students enrolled in Blinn
6. The option for BCHS students to participate in Blinn student clubs and organizations
7. Allow BCHS students the same access to IHE facilities, services & resources as all other Blinn students.
8. The school district will initiate the process for Disability Services course accommodations by providing students with the required documentation outlining required accommodations and services under an Individual Education Plan (IEP). It is the student's responsibility to turn in the documentation to the Office of Disability Services at the College.

Faculty and Administration

All teachers hired by BISD to teach at BCHS must meet Texas state certification requirements in their subject areas and must be licensed by the State of Texas. BISD faculty will only teach dual credit courses if they

1. meet faculty credentialing guidelines recommended by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges' Comprehensive Standard 6.2a, Faculty qualifications,
2. have the approval of the cooperating Institute of Higher Education (IHE), and
3. meet Blinn College Faculty Credentialing Guidelines.

Faculty of BCHS will participate weekly in an embedded professional development time, as is part of the ECHS model. Faculty of BCHS will be evaluated annually by BISD according to criteria established by BISD and the Texas Education Agency. Any instructor teaching IHE classes, for dual credit, must be evaluated in accordance with THECB and SACSCOC standards by IHE staff.

Faculty from the IHE who teach college courses on the BCHS campus ("Dual Credit Instructors") will be considered faculty of their employed IHE. All dual credit course teachers must

1. meet the faculty credentialing guidelines recommended by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges' Comprehensive Standard 6.2a Faculty qualifications,
2. have the approval of the cooperating Institute of Higher Education (II-IE), and
3. meet Blinn College Faculty Credentialing Guidelines.

Instructors for dual credit courses will be selected by Blinn based upon their previous experience and success in one or more of the following areas: teaching freshmen courses, teaching developmental and accelerated courses, teaching dual-enrollment courses, and credentials for teaching college-level coursework. Blinn agrees that any faculty from Blinn selected to teach courses at BCHS will submit to potential evaluative practices, such as classroom walkthroughs, as deemed necessary by BCHS administrators.

All Blinn College employees teaching courses on the BCHS campus will be required to submit to a criminal history background check with BISD, as required by BISD policy and applicable law. This criminal history background check will include fingerprinting, and the cost of the fingerprinting will be incurred by BISD. Based on the results of the prescribed background check and fingerprinting, BISD will have the sole discretion on eligibility to teach on BISD campuses.

BISD will appoint a BCHS administrator whose only responsibility is the administration of BCHS. The BCHS on-site administrator will have decision-making authority in ISD matters of budgeting, staffing, scheduling, student assessment, curriculum, and professional development in congruence with BISD, BCHS and TEA policy.

Courses and Curriculum Alignment

Blinn will provide access to courses included in the College's approved THECB core curriculum, as well as other major-specific or elective courses for all qualified BCHS students. Developmental courses are not available to dual credit students. Kinesiology courses that count towards the high school graduation physical education requirement will not be offered to dual credit students.

For all dual credit courses, Blinn will provide current course descriptions and syllabi upon request from BCHS staff and/or students. BISD will be responsible for ensuring alignment between the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and college course objectives to grant dual credit.

BCHS will work with Blinn to ensure the quality and instructional rigor of the dual credit program. BCHS will work with Blinn to vertically align BCHS high school courses with dual credit courses. BISD will allow BCHS to alter the scope and sequence of high school courses as needed to meet the goals of vertical alignment to dual credit courses. See Appendix A for the four-year plan.

Instructional Materials and Calendar

Information on new and/or used textbooks, workbooks, and other text-related materials will be provided by Blinn at least two months prior to the first day of each new semester. Whenever possible, Blinn will work to allow BCHS to keep books for multiple semesters. Term limits on textbooks are only for those with hard copy books, but for courses using Open Educational Resources or First Day Access, students will be provided with information for the text appropriate for that course. BCHS students will not be required to purchase textbooks for Blinn courses if they are taking any course on the included course crosswalk at any semester of the academic year. BISD will incur the cost of these textbooks. Students will attend Blinn classes at the Blinn College Bryan Campus and the BCHS campus. Courses will be composed of dual credit students only or of dual and college credit students. BISD will provide and incur the cost of transportation for BCHS students from the BCHS campus to the Blinn location where the student is enrolled in dual credit classes. BCHS will require students to attend college courses located on the Blinn Campus when in session, regardless of ISD district holidays. All high school students enrolled in College-accredited dual credit classes will follow the official College calendar, regardless of dual credit class location, course instructional modality, or School District calendar. Neither the College nor the School District shall cancel a class unless it is absolutely necessary. The cancellations shall be processed through the school District administration upon consultation between the appropriate representatives of the School District and the College. If deemed necessary by the College, lost instructional time shall be made up by arrangement with the School District.

Policies: Grading, Student Enrollment, Attendance, and Conduct

Blinn will report a numerical grade as is stated in the dual credit agreement between Blinn and BISD. Blinn will transcript/award college credit earned through dual credit during the same semester that credit is earned. BCHS will follow the Blinn policies regarding make-up work and/or late work for all dual credit courses taken by BCHS students.

All BCHS students will be required to complete and obtain a college-ready score on exams required by Blinn, such as TSIA2, ACT, or SAT. BCHS students must meet all prerequisites for Blinn College courses. Blinn staff will assist with registering BCHS students for Blinn courses. BCHS students will be required to complete Blinn assessments or placement procedures. BCHS will run a semester grading cycle in which individual progress reports will be sent home to parents at 3-week intervals, with a report card mailed after the conclusion of each semester. BCHS will obtain BISD board approval for any changes in the BCHS grading and/or make-up/late work policies for high school courses taught at BCHS. BCHS will follow the Blinn policies regarding makeup work and/or late work for all dual credit courses taken by BCHS students.

To continue taking Blinn dual credit courses, a student must remain in academic good standing with Blinn. To remain in Academic Good Standing and consistent with EGA (Local) of the College Board Policies, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 (C). The parties acknowledge that the Blinn transcript will only reflect a letter grade. A 2.0 cumulative grade point average is the minimum average required for graduation. If a student drops below a 2.0, they are placed on probation for a semester. If the GPA remains below 2.0 after the subsequent semester, BISD prohibits them from taking dual credit courses in the future. These students can apply for a suspension appeal after graduation from BCHS, but as a standard postsecondary college student, and not a dual credit student.

Blinn is not responsible for maintaining attendance records for BCHS students beyond the records kept for a traditional Blinn student. Note that BCHS students will follow the course attendance rules of the course provider, Blinn, and will also follow the school attendance policies of TEA and BISD, including BISD criteria for excused absences.

BCHS students will not be penalized for missing any dual credit courses due to standardized testing (ex. PSAT, SAT, ACT, TSIA) or UIL events. BCHS students will observe bad weather and/or late-start modifications as per the Blinn College schedule. While attending a dual credit course, BCHS students will follow the Blinn protocol for incivility and/or academic misconduct as stated in the Blinn catalog, Blinn College Administrative Regulations, and Blinn College Board Policy. BCHS students, upon being provided notice of these protocols and policies at the beginning of the school year, will be subject to the same penalties for violations of these protocols as any other enrolled college student.

Data Sharing

FERPA allows protected student data to be exchanged between Blinn College and BCHS without the consent of either the parents or the student under §99.34. If the student is under 18, the parents still retain the right under FERPA to inspect and review any education records maintained by BCHS, including records that Blinn College disclosed. Blinn College and BCHS are expected to meet FERPA requirements to maintain the privacy of student data.

Blinn College and BCHS will identify student data reports that are critical to student success and will provide data reports upon request or per a data timeline. Blinn College and BCHS personnel will be responsible for securely distributing and receiving data via a secure process. Student-level data shall not be shared outside without prior authorization from the data source.

Administration of Statewide Instruments (Subchapter B, Chapter 39)

BCHS will be responsible for all administration of state tests. BCHS will coordinate with Blinn to schedule any missed dual credit classes due to state-mandated testing. BCHS students will not be penalized for missing any dual credit courses due to state-mandated tests.

Evaluation, Research, and Development

An evaluation of the program and of the effectiveness of the collaboration will take place each academic year. The results of the evaluation will be reported at the end of each academic year. The evaluation will satisfy all federal and state guidelines for the evaluation of K-12 schools, in addition to any other evaluative guidelines established for the program. BISD and Blinn will collaborate in developing research and evaluation of BCHS. This research and evaluation agenda will examine critical aspects of BCHS ( e.g. student academic performance, performance on college standardized tests and state standardized tests, number of college hours earned, instructional effects, curriculum development products, effectiveness of professional development, and impact on educational policy and decision-making).

Provisions for Closing BCHS

If the partners decide to discontinue operating BCHS, they must meet the provisions listed below:

1. An eleventh-grade cohort at BCHS will continue operation through that cohort's scheduled graduation from BCHS.
2. Services for enrolled ninth- and tenth-grade students will continue through graduation for those cohorts.
3. While discontinuing operations, BCHS may not enroll any additional students in grades that have been phased out.
4. While BCHS is in the process of discontinuing operations, it must continue to meet all required design elements and provide full support to all students enrolled in BCHS.

Fiscal Agent

BISD will act as the fiscal agent for the purposes of this MOU. Blinn will bill BISD for costs incurred at the end of each Fall and Spring semester.

Responsibilities of the Parties

Regulatory Requirements

All members of the BCHS faculty and administration, as well as any other party connected to the program, must comply with regulations regarding the report of any and all alleged child abuse, school-related crimes, and sexual molestation. The BCHS Advisory Board is charged with ensuring adherence to all applicable regulatory matters, whether local, state, or federal, which affect the well-being of students enrolled at BCHS.

Compliance with the Laws

All signatories to the MOU will be responsible for complying with applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, mandatory policies, and guidelines. Though identified as partners in this MOU, the Parties are and remain independent legal entities and no legal business relationship is formed or intended to be formed under the performance of this MOU or any subsequent agreement to follow.

Liability and Indemnification

The district shall have no liability whatsoever for or with respect to Blinn's use of any property or facility, or the actions of, or failure to act by, any employees, subcontractors, agents, or assigns of Blinn.

Blinn agrees that:

Blinn shall be solely responsible, as between Blinn and district, and the agents, officers, and employees of the district, for and with respect to any claim or cause of action arising out of or with respect to any act, omission, or failure to act by Blinn or its agents, officers, employees, and subcontractors, while on district property or while using any district facility or performing any function or providing or delivering any service undertaken by Blinn pursuant to this agreement. Blinn further agrees to hold the district harmless against any such claims. To the extent permitted by law, Blinn agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the district harmless from and against any claims by a party, its clients, employees, or agents, or causes of action for death or injury to persons, or loss or damage to property arising out of or caused by Blinn's maintenance, use, or operation of district premises. Such duty to indemnify shall apply without regard to whether the claim shall arise from the negligence of Blinn, the district, or any combination thereof.

Modification of the MOU

This MOU may be modified or amended only by mutual agreement of the Parties in writing, and any such modification or amendments shall be attached and become a part of this collaboration as if set forth herein.

Termination of the MOU

Any Party has the right to terminate this MOU upon service of written notice to the other Parties 90 days prior to the date of termination. In this event, the date of termination will be the day after the end of the semester during which the 90-day period expires.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties execute this Memorandum of Understanding.

Signatures

Appendix A: Four-Year Plans

Bryan Collegiate High School Four-Year Plan (Class of 2027, 2028, 2029)

Bryan Collegiate High School Four-Year Plan (Starting with the Class of 2030)

Appendix B: Advising Terminology

As per SB 1276 (86th Legislature, 2019), below is the terminology related to advising for dual credit and college readiness.

• Advanced Placement (AP) - College-level coursework designed by the College Board that provides students the potential to earn college credit with a qualifying score on an Advanced Placement exam.
• Advising - Individualized academic guidance for students to help them succeed in their future education and career goals.
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) -Students can earn credit by examination by taking the CLEP exam.
• Contact Hours -The total number of hours a class meets each week.
• Degree Plan -A statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education must complete in order to be awarded an associate or bachelor's degree from the institution.
• Dual Credit - High school students take college-level courses, for both high school and college credit.
• Drop - Dual credit students must request to be dropped from a class through the Blinn College Dual Credit Office.
• Early Admissions - College-level courses taken by high school students for college credit only.
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) - A federal law that protects the privacy of student records at a public Institution of Higher Learning.
• Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) - the official list of courses approved for general academic transfer that may be offered by public community and technical colleges in Texas for state funding.
• Math Placement Exam (MPE) -Students can earn credit by examination for math courses by taking the MPE.
• Prerequisite - A course required to be successfully completed before taking another course.
• Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) - Provides community and technical colleges with a web-based inventory of pre-approved courses developed in close partnership with Instructional Specialists representing a wide variety of technical fields.

Appendix C: Statewide Dual Credit Goals

As per HB 1638 (85th Legislature, 2017), below is the alignment of state goals for dual credit.

Goal 1: Independent school districts and institutions of higher education will implement purposeful and collaborative outreach efforts to inform all students and parents of the benefits and costs of dual credit, including enrollment and fee policies.

Measures of implementation: Documentation summarizing collaboration and outreach efforts of IHEs and secondary school partners will be readily available and posted.

Examples:

• Collaboration between ISDs and the Blinn College Dual Credit Program to host informational sessions for students, parents and community partners on the benefits and cost of dual credit opportunities.
• Prospective Student Relations Advisors provide information about the College and dual credit opportunities at high school and community events.
• High School Counselor Workshops are provided for area high school counselors. Information about departmental programs and College support services is offered.

Goal 2: Dual credit programs will assist high school students in the successful transition to and acceleration through postsecondary education.

Measures of implementation: Analysis of measures in enrollment in and persistence through postsecondary education, disaggregated by student sub-population.

Examples:

• The Office of Prospective Student Relations offers college tours.
• Preview Days are offered, and students are able to learn about departmental information, Student Services, Student Life, and Housing, if available.
• Dual credit students are automatically transitioned to traditional students once they reach the spring of their senior year.

Goal 3: All dual credit students will receive academic and college readiness advising with access to bridge them successfully into college course completion.

Measures of implementation: Analysis of measures in enrollment and degree completion, disaggregated by student sub-population.

Examples:

• Advising and career counseling are offered to all dual credit students.
• Dual credit students have access to the Learning Center, the Writing Center, Disability Services, Counseling, the Testing Center, Libraries, and Open Computer Labs.

Goal 4: The quality and rigor of dual credit courses will be sufficient to ensure student success in subsequent courses.

Measure of implementation: Analysis of performance in subsequent coursework.

Examples:

• Institutional research data showing student performance in college credit.
• In accordance with THECB regulations and SACSCOC, Dual Credit instruction must follow the same curriculum, materials, grading, and rigor in all classes, regardless of location or modality.
• College readiness requirements are in place for students to be eligible to participate in dual credit, as the courses taken are taught at a college-level.

Appendix D: Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) Program

The state of Texas has created the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program which provides funding to colleges so they can offer dual credit courses to educationally disadvantaged students at no cost to these students. The Texas Education Code (TEC) defines “educationally disadvantaged” as those students eligible for the national free/reduced price lunch program. These students are referred to as FAST eligible students.

Students are “eligible students” under the FAST program if they (1) are enrolled in an eligible dual credit course at a public school district or charter school and (2) were qualified for free/reduced-price lunch in any of the four school years before enrolling in the dual credit course. By statue, the FAST program requires the FAST eligible students at participating institutions incur no cost for their dual credit coursework. A FAST eligible student will not pay tuition and fees for an eligible dual credit course. Books, supplies, and other course materials must also be provided at no cost to a FAST eligible student. Dual Credit Courses eligible for FAST funding are offered through either TEC, Section 130.008, courses for Joint High School and Junior College Credit (see Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 4, Subchapter D, Rules 4.81-4.85), or other courses offered by a public institution of higher education for which a high school student may earn credit. By statute, the course must also satisfy at least one of the following:

• A requirement necessary to obtain an associate degree or an industry-recognized credential or certificate (using the definition of industry-recognized credential or certificate that is established for other parts of House Bill 8)
• A foreign language requirement at an institution of higher education
• A core curriculum requirement
• A field of study requirement

Eligibility for the FAST program is determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). Each semester, Blinn is required to submit a roster of dual credit students to THECB for verification of FAST eligibility. In order to prepare and submit this roster, the ISD agrees to identify and verify to Blinn the students enrolling in ECHS that meet the eligibility requirements for the FAST program. This verification shall occur by August 4^th.

Students are eligible to enroll at no cost in a dual credit course under the FAST program if the students meets the following:

1. Is enrolled in high school in a school district or charter school.
2. Is enrolled in dual credit course at a participating institution of higher education.
3. Was educationally disadvantaged at any time during the four school years preceding the student’s enrollment in the dual credit course described by Subdivision (I)(B).

Blinn and the ISD will work together to verify FAST-eligible students and dual credit eligibility for each student enrolling in ECHS. For non-FAST eligible students enrolled in ECHS, the ISD will be charged no more than the State of Texas approved tuition rate for the current academic year. The ISD will be responsible for incurring all remaining educational costs for eligible FAST students enrolled in ECHS. These costs may include course fees, lab fees, IA/Course materials, textbooks, supplies, and credentialing fees.

The parties will work together to develop and provide information to students and parents about the FAST program.