Current eighth-graders in Tyler Independent School District middle schools who are accepted into the district’s new early college high school program will start next school year as the first class in the program.

The students, who will then be ninth-graders, are expected to earn in four years an associate degree from Tyler Junior College as well as a high school diploma.

That will provide them with two years of college free and a head start on pursuing a bachelor’s degree or a career, officials said.

Students must be an eighth-grader in any Tyler ISD middle school to be eligible to apply.

The district received 125 completed applications for the program as of late Monday and knew of 15 partially completed applications that may still come in.

Although the deadline for applications has passed, anyone interested in applying still can contact the director of the college program at 903-262-3098.

Kim Tunnell, chief leadership and performance officer, said teams will begin the screening process of interviewing students, reading essays and recommendations and talking with parents.

Applicants will be notified by March 23, if they are accepted, according to DelSenna Frazier, director of the early college high school.

The early college high school program will be housed at the A.T. Stewart Building at start of the 2015-2016 school year.

When the college is in full operation in four years, enrollment is expected to total 400 or 500 students, Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford told the school board during a workshop on Monday.

School Board President the Rev. Orenthia Mason expressed concern over the possibility that renovations of the former middle school buildings that will house the program will not be complete by fall.

Students will attend classes in the Stewart building the first two years and on the TJC campus their final two years.

The Stewart building also will be the site of the revamped PACE alternative program starting next fall. It is being revamped into a more rigorous program to better meet the needs of students and will be named the School of Choice, Ms. Tunnell said.

“My concern is we made a promise to that community in all the meetings and all the discussions that were held,” Ms. Mason said. “I hope and pray we don’t go back on that promise. Money was set aside for (renovating) that building. … Let’s improve the building.”

Director of facilities Tim Loper said there is no design for the work. He said the district could request architects expedite their work and indicated it would be difficult to finish the whole project by the end of summer. He said the work might have to be done in a piecemeal approach.

The district will advertise this week for teachers for the early college high school program and will hire five to six, depending on the number of students, Ms. Tunnell said.

Tyler ISD administrators are working in partnership with Tyler Junior College to arrange for the early college, with TJC officials creating a plan for how Tyler ISD students will graduate with an associate degree at the end of high school.

TJC officials “have been phenomenal and fantastic in working with us on this entire process,” Ms. Tunnell said.

TJC personnel also are working with Tyler ISD on plans for the Summer Bridge Program, a 10-day induction for students accepted into the early college. Part of the induction will be on the TJC campus to build the college-going culture, Ms. Tunnell said.

Ms. Tunnell also updated trustees on steps by administrators to implement a strategic plan adopted by the board, which includes strategies ranging from campus security to faculty recruitment, training and retention.

According to Ms. Tunnell’s report, all district facilities have comprehensive security measures in place, all doors have been checked and have locks, and perimeter fencing has been added at Hubbard and Dogan middle schools.

Concerning educator recruitment and training, Ms. Tunnell said the district has developed a recruitment system that includes salary incentives for bilingual teachers. She added that administration also has conducted a salary survey, researched best practices, visited Mesquite and Plano on ideas for low teacher turnover and is developing a new hire process and orientation program for new employees.

According to the report, the district also has taken action to implement a strategy to provide skills and capabilities to enable students will be technologically savvy and the district will use innovative methods to provide skills that match the talents and aspirations of each student. Also, the district will develop character, social and emotional skills in students and offer flexible and specialized schools to meet students’ needs.