Sheldon ISD reports jump in dual-credit enrollment after HB 8 (FAST) and targeted outreach

Sheldon ISD staff told the board the district’s dual-credit enrollments at San Jacinto College and University of Texas OnRamps rose substantially after the state’s HB 8 financial aid changes (referred to in the presentation as FAST) and targeted district outreach.

Staff said San Jacinto College student enrollments rose year over year: from 1,261 student enrollments in 2022–23 to 1,494 in 2023–24 and to 1,618 in 2024–25 (these figures represent course enrollments across semesters, not distinct students). Staff credited hiring a dual-credit coordinator and aggressive outreach for higher participation. The presenter said Sheldon ISD now had 63 students earning associate degrees this year — “the most ever” — and that additional students could complete degrees after summer coursework.

Staff explained FAST (referred to as House Bill 8) provides free dual credit for students who qualify as free or reduced-price lunch (or are directly certified). The presenter said the district must collect lunch applications to document eligibility and urged principals and staff to run application drives and encourage families to apply. Staff noted qualifying at middle school can carry forward into high school, sometimes for up to four years depending on the qualifying criteria mentioned.

On UT OnRamps, staff reported growth in participants and that passing certain UT thresholds can yield automatic university admission. The presenter said UT OnRamps enrollments rose from 139 students in the district in the earliest cohort to 334 in the most recent year after the district expanded course offerings (including adding physics) and that next year the district plans to add two more UT history courses to reach an estimated 20 college credit hours for some students.

Staff provided cost figures for dual-credit tuition payments to colleges: earlier years showed larger district tuition payments that fell as the share of qualifying free/reduced students rose. For example, staff said the district paid about $257,000 for San Jac enrollments in 2022–23; after FAST and the coordinator, payments dropped to about $108,000 in 2023–24 despite higher enrollments, and rose modestly to about $137,000 in the latest year as enrollments increased further. Staff said overall the district saved more than $200,000 across two years compared with pre-FAST costs.

Staff emphasized that local outreach to increase lunch applications is the critical administrative step required to maximize the state funding benefit. They asked board members to support campus-level efforts and noted the district will continue coordinating with San Jacinto College and UT OnRamps.