| The Houston Independent School District | | | | Placement (AP) courses can reduce the number |
| (HISD) is the seventh largest district in the | | | | of college classes your child has to |
| nation and is working toward making all of | | | | complete. Houston Schools believe that all |
| their students college ready in the future by | | | | children should be given the opportunity to |
| creating a "college-bound culture" in all of | | | | take AP classes in order to help them |
| Houston schools. Essentially, all a | | | | eventually succeed at the college level. In |
| college-bound culture consists of is sending | | | | order to make this happen, the HISD is |
| students and parents the message that college | | | | increasing the number of students allowed to |
| is possible for their children from a very | | | | take pre-AP courses in middle and high |
| early standpoint in their educational career | | | | school. For those not eligible to take |
| and reinforcing those ideas through in-school | | | | pre-AP courses, Houston Schools are offering |
| programs. | | | | tutoring to help prepare students for the |
| | | | work-load. |
| How Do Houston Schools Create a College-Bound | | | | |
| Culture? | | | | - Dual-Credit Courses: Dual-credit courses |
| | | | allow students in Houston Schools to take |
| It's easy enough to what Houston Schools are | | | | college-level classes that apply toward their |
| doing to create this culture if it's broken | | | | High School diploma and toward receiving an |
| down into its main components: | | | | Associate's Degree by the time they graduate |
| | | | high school. This significantly lowers the |
| - Making College Accessible: Houston Schools | | | | amount of money dual-credit students have to |
| are making this idea their top priority in | | | | pay for their college education, thus making |
| creating the college-bound culture in all | | | | college more accessible to many students in |
| their schools. Teachers are sending very | | | | the HISD. |
| early messages to students and parents that | | | | |
| college is a possibility and that Houston | | | | Overall, Houston Schools have created a plan |
| Schools will do everything possible to make | | | | to enhance the college experience in the eyes |
| it happen for their children. Beginning at | | | | of both parents and students by creating a |
| the elementary level, HISD counselors are | | | | college-bound culture in all of their |
| holding special college-awareness seminars | | | | schools. As parents, we should take part in |
| for both parents and students. They are also | | | | helping our children develop a strong desire |
| creating career development activities for | | | | for a college education. In a world where a |
| children of all ages to help them understand | | | | high school diploma doesn't get you very far |
| that their work in Houston Schools will | | | | anymore, college is necessary for our |
| directly relate to their career someday. For | | | | children in order for them to lead healthy |
| older school-age students, HISD is developing | | | | and successful lives. This college-bound |
| a mentoring program to help students with | | | | culture in Houston Schools allows us to see |
| their weakest subjects. | | | | and monitor our children's desire for college |
| | | | and allows us to help and encourage them in |
| - Advanced Placement Courses: Advanced | | | | any way we can. |