The partnership brings together Lubbock ISD, South Plains College and Texas Tech University to launch the program at Coronado. Students who take part can earn college credentials alongside their high school diploma. It's a three-way setup spanning a public school district, a community college and a research university, giving students a direct path from high school into college coursework and workforce credentials.
For families in the Coronado attendance zone, this could change the math on college planning. Stacking free industry certificates and an associate degree onto a high school education lowers the financial barrier that keeps many students from pursuing education past graduation. It also gives local employers a pipeline of workers who already hold real credentials before they turn 18.
Details on which industries or certificate programs the P-TECH track will cover have not been announced yet. That answer comes October 1, when Lubbock ISD, SPC and Texas Tech make it official at Coronado.