Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
As the fall 2025 semester kicks off at South Texas College with nationally recognized milestones, new programs and pathways and cost savings for partnering school districts and their students, STC’s Dual Credit Programs recently hosted its annual Superintendent Leadership and Principals and Counselors meetings to share the good news, that ultimately, impacts the entire region.
Each meeting led with numbers that represent STC’s success, from celebrating more than 100,000 graduates since the college’s inception, including dual credit students, to dual credit cost savings for students and families valued at over $464 million, school district partners received a broad perspective of what the college has done, where it’s going and how their partnership has helped shape these achievements.
“Through Dual Credit Programs and our partnerships, we have built a strong foundation for future leaders,” said Vice President and Provost of Academic Affairs and Economic Development Anahid Petrosian, Ph.D. “Together, we will continue to champion excellence, foster collaboration and celebrate the success of every student.”
As of September 1, STC’s total enrollment is at 36,864 students, with nearly 12,000 of those a part of the college’s Dual Credit Programs and many of these students take advantage of the more than 80% of the courses that provide Open Educational Resources (OER), an innovative classroom approach highlighted during this event.
A course that implements OER, offers free openly licensed digital material like textbooks, videos and assessments that can be reused, revised and redistributed to students for education purposes.
By spring 2026, all high-enrolled courses, over 1,000, such as Biology, Math, Government and Economics, will be OER. This offers school districts like Hidalgo Independent School District, and its families cost savings, a move that J.A. Gonzalez, Ed.D., Hidalgo ISD superintendent said will have a great impact on his students.
“STC Dual Credit provides our students with opportunities that propel them into their future,” said Gonzalez. “Our students are hard workers and when you have systems in place such as this, it helps our entire region prosper. This is transforming families for generations to come. Access to college at a high school level gives our students a head start and saves their families thousands of dollars. Dr. (Ricardo) Solis is innovative, creative and coupled with the energy we bring as a school district, we look forward to a strong partnership.”
Those in attendance also heard updates from Andrew Lofter, Ph.D., director of Academic and Health Affairs with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Krystal Garza, Director of Postsecondary Preparation Programs for the Texas Education Agency.
Both Lofter and Garza led discussions ranging from new outcome funding models and Texas Success Initiative eligibility requirements to new non-degree seeking options and postsecondary success.
“This is always a homecoming for me. I’m from Edinburg, and I’m here, we’re always here to support the educators of the 956,” Garza said. “It’s always amazing to see the success initiatives our districts and colleges like STC, put forth in our community, and we’re here to bridge that gap and continue to support your work, your partnerships and your momentum. At least half of the students within Region One that are participating in dual credit and early college high schools are meeting college readiness pillars. We need to celebrate that.”
Eunice Rico, College, Career, Military Readiness advisor at Weslaco High School, said although she has been attending these update meetings for a long time, it’s important to stay updated, especially with the numerous changes happening.
“There was a powerful video shown that highlight successful dual credit alumni, and I got chills. It was a testament to what dual credit can do for someone,” said Rico. “I was a dual credit alumna from STC, but so much as evolved for our new generations. The benefits are invaluable. We’re eternally grateful to STC for all the programs and opportunities they offer our community.”
Rebecca De Leon, associate vice president of Dual Credit Programs and School District Partnerships acknowledges and commends the achievements that STC and its dual credit partners have been able to achieve over the years.
“In celebrating our school district partnerships, we also get to applaud the work it takes all from all of us, together, to ensure college readiness,” said De Leon. “We have seen life-changing transformations in our students in our communities and in our region because of dual credit. We have saved families millions of dollars in tuition. These results are possible because of the strong partnerships we share with our more than 20 partnering school districts and ensuring student success.”
For more information on STC’s Dual Credit Programs, visit southtexascollege.edu/dual.
Information source: STC
