On May 5, 2017, 27 of 28 members of the Roscoe Collegiate ISD (RCISD) senior class graduated from Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas, with associate degrees — two weeks before they crossed the high school graduation stage in Roscoe.

Already a state and national leader in college and career readiness as an Early College/STEM Academy, RCISD continues to elevate the standard. In the nine years since becoming an Early College, the number of students graduating with associate degrees has grown exponentially, starting with one the first year.

By 2015, the district reached its goal of 90 percent of the senior class graduating with associate degrees, increasing to 92 percent in 2016, and 96 percent in 2017. Of those graduating in 2017 with an associate degree, 96 percent also have earned industry-recognized workforce endorsements.

With the Roscoe Collegiate P-20 System Model for Student Success, RCISD has begun negotiations with four-year universities to bring bachelor and graduate degree programs to Roscoe, enabling the district to reach another target, which is 90 percent of graduates completing four-year degrees and 50 percent of graduates completing graduate degrees by 2025.

If those opportunities come to Roscoe, that program will also be made available to young and mid-career adults from Roscoe and surrounding areas as part of a Local Rural Economic Development Effort for Nolan County.

RCISD is a member of the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium and a district exemplar in the area of college and career readiness.