National Blue Ribbon School

Garza Early College High School is a public school of choice located in the southwest quadrant of the Dallas Independent School District, the second largest urban school district in Texas. The school opened in 2006 with incremental cohorts of 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classes in the following years.

Garza ECHS�s collaboration with Mountain View College, within the Dallas Community College District, has provided a partnership that ensures that the goal of college success is attained. Garza ECHS students attend both high school and on-site college classes in order to graduate with high school diplomas and Associates' Degrees. Most of the students are the first in their family to attend college in an area where about 10 percent of the population has a college degree.

The culture of Garza ECHS provides non-threatening conditions where students, parents, and faculty become life-long learners. The outcome is that every individual�s learning curve is exponential. There is no punishment for taking risks, no systemic anxiety about failure. Students are encouraged to advocate for their own learning. Teachers scaffold experiences based on individualized needs so that all students are successful in whatever endeavor they may choose.

With the commitment to excellence by the faculty, students, parents, and community stakeholders, Garza ECHS has met and exceeded expectations on the state accountability systems attaining ALL seven distinctions listed in Academic Achievement: Reading/Language Arts; Mathematics; Science; Social Studies; Top 25% Student Progress; Top 25% Closing Performance Gaps; and Post-secondary Readiness. Garza ECHS truly exhibits the philosophy "All Children Can Learn."