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The Cedar Hill High School Early College Academy (ECA) Program has grown from approximately 300 students two years ago to 342 students today.

CHHS Counselor Marissa Garmon, who specializes in the ECA program, expects the program to double in size over the next two years.

Even more important than the growth are the presence of structures that support successful completion of the program that is truly “a campus within a campus at Cedar Hill High School.”

ECA recruits Bessie Coleman and Permenter eighth graders to enter the program as freshmen where they have the opportunity to earn an Associate’s Degree from Dallas College, without leaving the friendly hallways of CHHS.

“Some kids come from outside of Cedar Hill specifically for the ECA program,” said CHHS Associate Principal Idol Mallard, who leads the ECA Campus.

The program is designed for ninth graders to begin taking college classes on Day 1 of their high school experience, but there have been instances where sophomores have successfully started and completed the program.

“We have an orientation-type course for the freshman to understand the transition from middle school to college, which is basically what they’re doing,” Mallard said. “We’re not just getting kids in the program. We’ve put processes in place to help them succeed.  The college classes increase their thinking. That helps with their performance on state assessments and preparing them for college.”

Mallard, who was tapped to lead ECA in January 2024, works closely with Garmon.

“Mr. Mallard holds the kids accountable,” Garmon said. “That’s very important. He treats them like they’re college students.”

CHISD Executive Director of Counseling Dr. Courtney Jackson works closely with Mallard and Garmon to ensure the program’s success.

Dallas College also has a success coach assigned to ECA at CHHS (Alyssa Guglielmi-White).

“She meets with the students and visits classrooms,” Garmon said. “If students aren’t on track, she schedules meetings for them to see her. She’s an integral part of our program.”

Kendra Johnson, with the state’s Early College High School program, serves as a success coach for CHHS’ ECA program.

When CHISD classes resume in early January, Jarmon said she plans to invite recent ECA graduates to speak to the program’s current students about how it’s helped their lives. 

Although students from ECA and Collegiate have the opportunity to participate in CHHS extracurriculars, logistically, it’s easier for ECA students to do so. They’re already on campus, and they’re not traveling between Cedar Hill and Cedar Valley.

“That is important to kids when we recruit at the middle school level,” Garmon said.

Academically, Mallard is looking to find more CHHS teachers willing to become credentialed through Dallas College. That number has increased five-fold over the past two years.

CHHS Teachers with Dallas College credentials are paid through the college, in addition to their CHISD salary.