San Antonio – Teachers and administrators at Northside Independent School District are celebrating a rapid expansion of dual‑credit opportunities that give high‑school students a head start on college coursework. In the 2025‑26 school year, the district saw enrollment in dual‑credit classes rise by more than 3,000 students, reaching a total of 10,551 participants.
Classroom experience drives success
At William H. Taft High School, Advanced Placement and dual‑credit English teacher Kalua Lauber leads a class of 32 seniors who work in small groups to research, debate, and present on chosen topics. Lauber, who earned her dual‑credit certification through a partnership with St. Mary’s University and Alamo Colleges District, gives students tight deadlines to simulate the pace of a college course. “There’s more urgency with the assignments,” said 17‑year‑old student Nicolas Gibussa. “In a regular class you get almost a week, but for this one you get two days or less.”
Students echo that the higher expectations and clear direction help them succeed. “The expectations are definitely higher in an AP and dual‑credit classroom than in a regular classroom,” said 16‑year‑old Bruce Bumbarger. “She definitely sets us up to succeed.”
District‑wide growth and partnership
Alamo Colleges District reports that 30,206 high‑school students were enrolled in dual‑credit courses across Texas as of October 2026, surpassing its goal of 29,000 students by 2029. High‑school participants accounted for about 66 % of the district’s overall growth between fall 2025 and fall 2026. Today the district partners with 48 public school districts, 24 charter schools and 17 private schools to offer these courses.
Northside ISD holds the largest share of dual‑credit students within the Alamo Colleges network. Over the past three years the district has essentially tripled its enrollment, according to Jill Hackney, Northside ISD’s director of advanced academics. “I feel like we have kind of found the secret sauce for educating our students, our parents, on the benefits of dual credit, and we’ve expanded in all of our schools,” Hackney said.
Teacher certification program fuels expansion
In June 2025, Alamo Colleges and St. Mary’s University launched a Dual Credit Faculty Expansion Program with a $1.4 million initial investment to certify 100 local teachers in English, history and political science. The program removes certification barriers by offering tuition‑free training to teachers who commit to remain in their district for a set period.
By fall 2027, 83 new dual‑credit certified teachers are expected to graduate, with another 30 slated to finish in spring 2027. “We’ll be able to place all of those teachers on campuses to further expand our dual‑credit opportunities,” Hackney explained.
Balancing rigor and support
Lauber emphasizes a disciplined yet caring classroom environment. When chatter becomes disruptive, she pauses, leans back, and may announce a surprise test to keep students focused. “I only had to do that once with them,” she laughed, noting that the incident quickly taught the class to self‑moderate.
At the end of the semester, students earn college credit transferable to any public university in Texas and may also take the AP exam for additional credit that is recognized nationwide.
Looking ahead
With nearly 96,000 students enrolled across Northside ISD and more than 30,000 of them in high school, officials aim to reach students who have not traditionally pursued advanced coursework. “We don’t just want kids who are already high achievers to sign up for dual credit,” Hackney said. “We really want to start educating other families because we have so many capable kids.”
The district continues to explore expanding dual‑credit offerings into math and science, working with Alamo Colleges to develop new pathways. As the program grows, students, parents, and teachers alike see dual credit as a practical way to strengthen college readiness while reinforcing the value of hard work and personal responsibility.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
