Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn College Ignite Early College Pathways
A groundbreaking partnership between Crowley Independent School District and Paul Quinn College in southern Dallas is reshaping how local middle school students envision their future. Through an innovative “1882 partnership,” the initiative aims to make college not just a possibility, but an inevitability for students starting as early as eighth grade.
A Groundbreaking Partnership for Local Students
Beginning this school year, Crowley ISD has transitioned the operations of its middle schools to Paul Quinn’s Quinnite Schools Network. This unique collaboration operates under an “1882 partnership,” a framework established by Texas Senate Bill 1882 in 2017. These partnerships offer financial incentives to school districts that collaborate with external organizations, like colleges, to either revitalize struggling campuses or foster educational innovation. For Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn, the goal is clear: to instill a college-bound mindset early on, fundamentally altering students’ academic trajectories.
College Acceptance Starts in Middle School
A key feature of this partnership is the proactive approach to college admission. At the end of the last school year, Paul Quinn College issued letters of acceptance to all incoming sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders in Crowley ISD. While this acceptance is a significant motivator, it comes with a clear academic requirement: students must graduate high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Antonio Mauldin, the college’s lead admissions and retention coordinator, emphasizes that achieving this means maintaining a consistent B average throughout high school, encouraging students to strive for even higher, like a 4.0.
Demystifying Higher Education Through Campus Visits
To make the dream of college tangible, the partnership orchestrates campus visits for middle schoolers. Eighth-grade Honors History students recently explored Paul Quinn College, attending lectures and interacting with current college students. Natalie Williams, executive director of the T3 Partnership (Tarrant To and Through), which helped organize the visits, highlights their importance in demystifying the college experience. Early exposure allows students to visualize themselves in a college setting, prompting them to consider their high school course selections more strategically. For instance, taking Algebra I in eighth grade significantly increases a student’s likelihood of attending college.
Shifting Peer Culture Towards Success
Crowley ISD Superintendent Michael McFarland believes middle school is a pivotal time when peer influence begins to outweigh that of teachers or parents. By initiating college conversations and experiences earlier, the district aims to guide peer pressure in a positive direction. A good campus visit can spark conversations among friends about college plans, ultimately making higher education a more common and accepted aspiration. McFarland notes that early decisions are critical, as delaying career path choices (like medicine) and associated academic requirements until later high school years can limit future options.
| Aspect | Traditional Path | Crowley-Paul Quinn Partnership |
|---|---|---|
| College Exposure | Primarily in high school | Introduced as early as middle school |
| Acceptance Offer | After high school applications | Provisional offer in middle school |
| Academic Motivation | Often peaks in senior year | Consistent 3.0 GPA goal from 8th grade |
| Peer Influence | Variable, often informal | Cultivated towards positive college aspirations |
Academic Growth and Innovation
Beyond fostering innovation, the partnership seeks to significantly improve academic outcomes. Crowley ISD’s middle school students have historically lagged behind state averages in reading and math. McFarland acknowledges this challenge, stating that the collaboration with Paul Quinn College is expected to provide new opportunities for students to gain ground academically. The innovative approaches introduced through the partnership are anticipated to identify and leverage new strategies for enhancing student learning and performance.
Student Voices: A Glimpse into the Future
Ean and Ethan Taylor, twin eighth-graders at Summer Creek Middle School, shared their positive experiences during the Paul Quinn visit. Ean found the college-level discussion on the Declaration of Independence exciting, offering a preview of higher education while reinforcing their social studies knowledge. Ethan valued the opportunity to share his perspectives and learn new historical concepts. Both brothers appreciated the professors’ encouragement for student participation. With aspirations like becoming a lawyer or an art teacher/pediatrician, these early campus experiences are invaluable for students like Ean and Ethan, solidifying their college plans.
The Philosophy Behind Early Engagement
Paul Quinn College President Michael Sorrell views the partnership between public schools and higher education as a natural synergy. He explains that both institutions are dedicated to improving students’ life prospects and nurturing lifelong learning. While higher education focuses on adults with defined goals, K-12 lays the foundation for those dreams. Sorrell believes that by partnering, colleges can convey an essential message early on: with hard work, success is inevitable. This philosophy aims to teach students to “believe in the inevitability of their own success” and equip them with the tools to achieve their goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an 1882 partnership?
An 1882 partnership is a model based on Texas Senate Bill 1882 (2017) that provides financial incentives for school districts to partner with outside entities like colleges or charter schools to manage public school campuses, often to improve performance or drive innovation. - Which students are impacted by this new partnership?
Initially, the partnership directly impacts incoming sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders in Crowley ISD middle schools, with plans to expand programs in the coming years. - What are the conditions for Paul Quinn College’s early acceptance?
Students must graduate high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA, which means maintaining at least a B average throughout their high school years. - How does this partnership aim to improve academic performance?
Beyond fostering innovation, the partnership seeks to address lagging academic performance in reading and math among Crowley ISD middle schoolers by introducing new strategies and instilling a college-readiness mindset from an earlier age. - Where is Paul Quinn College located?
Paul Quinn College is located in southern Dallas, Texas, providing a local higher education partner for Crowley ISD students in the wider Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
This forward-thinking partnership between Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn College offers a powerful blueprint for empowering local students, demonstrating that investing in early college readiness can profoundly shape a community’s future.
Crowley ISD and Paul Quinn College Ignite Early College Pathways
