top of page
Staff Writer

Lamar CISD Students Graduate with Associate Degrees Due to Partnership with LSC-CyFair

(LAMAR CONSOLIDATED ISD) - Thousands of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District students recently graduated with their high school diplomas, but two have already earned their associate degree from Lone Star College-CyFair.


Naya Montelavo, a student at George Ranch High School, and Jodi Johnson from B.F. Terry High School, are Lamar CISD’s first associate degree graduates as part of the Dual Credit partnership between LSC-CyFair and Lamar CISD. Montelayo and Johnson were among the LSC-CyFair’s 850 graduates walking at this year’s commencement as part of the college’s largest graduating class of 2,938 students.


Dual Credit allows high school students to enroll in a college course and receive simultaneous academic credit from both the college and the high school. The goal of the partnership is for Lamar CISD students to take a sequence of college-level courses through the Dual Credit program that apply toward the college’s core component areas. These courses could lead to the possibility of students earning their associate degree and their high school diploma at the same time.


“The benefits of earning college credit in high school including AP and Dual presented the opportunity for myself to collaborate those credits towards an Associate of Arts Degree with Lone Star College System…It is an indescribable feeling to know that all my academic achievements thus far have amounted to being done with most of my basics for college,” said Naya. “I will be attending the University of Houston in the fall as a well-prepared student ready for the next chapter in academia. Furthermore, I’m a member of Lone Star’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society because of my high-earning overall grades. This journey was all made possible by the support I received from my family, George Ranch High School staff members, and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District for opening the opportunity with Lone Star College. If there’s one thing to learn from my experience, it is that high school students need to take hold and value the chance to earn college credit now instead of paying hundreds of dollars more at a university. It’s never too late to start planning for the future, and it will ultimately only help you succeed.”



Following the Fall 2018 establishment of this partnership between Lamar CISD and LSC-CyFair, the program has developed considerably at five high schools and will be expanded to a sixth, Randle High School, in the fall.


“We are proud of our partnership with Lamar CISD, which has created such a successful program in such a short period of time. We anticipate continued growth to provide educational opportunities and benefits to thousands of students,” said Michel Rodriguez-Zuch, LSC-CyFair Dean of Academic Affairs.


“Since Fall 2018, the number of students enrolled in Dual Credit has grown 126 percent from 462 students to 1,048 students in Fall 2021,” said Lindsey Troutman, Lamar CISD’s Director of College and Career Readiness. “In addition, the number of courses students have been taking has grown 194 percent from 569 courses to 1,675 courses for fall 2021. We expect an additional increase for fall 2022.”


Students interested in Lamar CISD’s Dual Credit program should see their high school Dual Credit counselor.

Comments


bottom of page