Students at Frank L. Madla Early College High School are not your average students. These students are taking on both high school and college level classes each semester.
Madla was established at Palo Alto College fall 2014.
Although the school is small in comparison to the average public school in San Antonio, it is paving new ways for the next generation of college graduates.
The students graduate from Frank L. Madla with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree.
Madla allows students to graduate with up to 60 college credit hours, the equivalent of a junior-level college student, by the time they complete their four years in the institution.
Students have the option to take three to nine credit hours a semester depending on what they can personally handle.
Madla students score higher than state and Texas Region 20 averages, with an average of a 3.3 GPA.
“We don’t want to sacrifice GPA for college hours,” said Principal Jeffrey D. Flores. “We make sure this school is the right fit for the student. We give them a lot of responsibility, but if the kid really wants to, they can do it.”
The school pays for the class registration, fees, books and even scantrons used for exams.
Flores, who helped structure the school curriculum from the beginning, knows that fitting six years into four can be challenging and works closely with faculty, students and parents to design a plan to fit each student’s individual needs.
“I had a ‘B’ in my speech class and I didn’t like that because I want all ‘A’s’ so I can be a good example for my younger brother…this school has taught me my education is important,” said Michael Arriaga, an 11th grade student.
Each student follows state core curriculum on both levels.
Before a student is able to take any college courses they must meet the Texas Success Initiative, a Texas program designed to determine if a student is ready for college-level coursework in the general areas of reading, writing and mathematics.
According to usnews.com, only a third of students are ready for college level coursework when graduating high school. If you do not pass one or all parts the TSI Assessment, students are required to enroll in developmental education coursework before they can enroll in a college credit course.
This leaves students paying for classes that do not count towards their degree.
“If you want to work hard, you come here,” Flores said.
Madla sets up students to complete their bachelor’s degrees by the time they are 20.
This can save them from using their available Pell grants or taking out loans for core and remedial classes, that would not go towards their degree.
Academic Advisor/School Counselor Khalid Zakaria said more than $2,400.00 has been saved to date by the students attending Frank L. Madla.
“My students impress me everyday…my proudest moment is coming, when I see them getting their scholarship offers and acceptance letters,” Zakaria said.
As of today there is not a set partnership with any universities but Principal Flores, alongside School Board President Dr. Frank L. Madla III, hope to build a pathway for students to transfer to Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Flores said the Palo Alto campus is using the exact portables used to start up A&M-San Antonio.
Although school officials would love to see their students at A&M-San Antonio, they also open up many opportunities for students to find the right school for them.
Visits to campuses and inviting university representatives from around Texas are set up throughout the school year.
“Being at school here has made me more mature and has taught me a lot about life,” said Caleb Aguilera, 11th grade student. “At first I was scared of being in class with the older students but now I feel apart of them and the college.”
Dual credit classes at Madla are live classes where the student is interacting with their professors and college-age classmates.
Traditional dual credit classes are usually offered at public schools with other high school students and instructed by a proctor.
Madla students take Avid, a required course apart of the dual-credit program, educating in the cost of attending public and private universities in Texas and around the nation. This mandatory class gives students real-world thinking, Flores said.
“We want them to understand they’re getting a free college education that other students have to pay for themselves…we want our kids to be treated like regular college kids and not give them a ‘break’ because they’re 13 or 14 years old,” Flores said. “We want them to be socially, emotionally and academically ready when they leave us.”
To apply to attend Madla, visit its website. For more information, call (210) 486-3686.
