Alamo Colleges District and St. Mary’s University Launch New Dual Credit Partnership

The Alamo Colleges District and St. Mary’s University have announced a new partnership to open more doors to higher education for students across Bexar County. 

Through a $1.1 million investment from the Alamo Colleges District, up to 100 high school teachers will receive the graduate-level training needed to teach dual credit courses – giving more students the chance to earn college credits before they graduate high school. By year three, this effort is expected to benefit approximately 1,750 students, expanding access to college-level learning where it’s needed most.

At a press conference and teacher signing ceremony held at St. Mary’s University on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, leaders from both institutions and a Northside ISD teacher shared how the first-of-its-kind initiative will help close gaps in dual credit participation. 

“This partnership is a game changer for students and families in our community,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Chancellor of the Alamo Colleges District. “By investing in the professional development of our local teachers, we’re building a stronger pipeline of dual credit faculty and expanding access to college-level coursework where it’s needed most.”

The partnership will initially support teachers from Northside ISD, North East ISD, and East Central ISD who need graduate hours in subjects like English, History, or Political Science to be eligible to teach dual credit. St. Mary’s University will offer the graduate coursework. Teachers who complete the program will commit to teaching dual credit in high-need schools for at least three years and will be able to teach Freshmen Comp. I and II, History 1301 & 1302, and Government 2305 as dual credit courses at their high schools.

“The power of this partnership, between St. Mary’s University, Northwest Vista College, Northside ISD, and others, will significantly expand dual credit access to students in schools with the greatest need,” said St. Mary’s University President Dr. Winston Erevelles. “The expert-level professional development for teachers will create the highest-quality dual credit experience for high school students on their path to college completion.”

The initiative is designed to deliver long-term impact and student success. Research shows that dual credit programs help improve high school graduation rates, increase college enrollment, and reduce the time needed to complete degrees at both community colleges and universities. 

The program will start summer 2025 and prepare up to 100 new dual credit-qualified teachers in the first two years, enabling an estimated 400 students to complete at least 15 hours of college credit before high school graduation. By year three, 1,750 students are estimated to benefit from the partnership. 

The program is funded by Alamo Colleges District through its Student Success Fund, with $550,000 committed in both the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years. There is no expectation of repayment, underscoring the district’s commitment to its moonshot of partnering to end poverty through education and training.

In addition to the certificate program, St. Mary’s is launching a new Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction. It will provide another pathway for educators who want to deepen their expertise and expand their role in supporting college access.