Student praises Plainview Collegiate while parent raises equity concerns over dual‑enrollment grading

Daniella Flores, a 2025 Plainview Collegiate graduate now attending Texas Tech University, told the Plainview ISD Board that the district’s dual‑credit program prepared her for college-level coursework and reduced the time and cost required to earn a degree. “Because of this program, I’m currently considered a junior at Texas Tech University while barely attending my first year on campus,” Flores said, describing long nights of study and arguing the program is not limited to low‑income or first‑generation students but available to any student willing to meet its demands.

Parent Jessica Thornhill followed during public comment, telling trustees she has two equity concerns between Plainview High School (PHS) and the collegiate program. First, she said PHS students were no longer allowed to take Wayland Baptist University online dual‑credit courses during the school year — an option removed last year, she said — which reduced scheduling flexibility and constrained access to both dual credit and AP offerings for PHS students. “Denying this flexible option to PHS students adds to the inequity between the number of courses that PHS has primary access to as compared to collegiate,” Thornhill said.

Her second concern focused on grading: Thornhill said current dual‑enrollment classes award two separate grades (a college grade and a high‑school grade) and that both grades receive honors weight for class‑rank calculations. She questioned whether that practice complies with the Texas Administrative Code 4.85 requirement that dual‑credit courses maintain consistency in curriculum, instruction and student evaluation. “How does this dual‑enrollment grading policy comply with state requirements for consistent instruction and evaluations?” Thornhill asked the board, urging a legal review and a clear explanation of impacts on GPA and class rank.

Board members did not immediately take action on the requests raised during public comment. Trustees thanked both speakers for their remarks and later moved through the meeting’s business agenda. Thornhill specifically asked the board to review and provide a legal justification for the district’s dual‑enrollment grading procedures and for staff to consider reinstating flexible online dual‑credit options for PHS students.

The board’s formal business that followed included a mix of approvals — personnel appointments, calendar changes, contract renewals and waivers — and the discussion of compliance steps for a state seat‑belt mandate for school buses. The board did not announce any immediate policy changes regarding dual‑enrollment grading or online dual‑credit availability at the meeting.