As the new school year begins, it’s important to understand all of the changes that have taken place over the summer. After the House Bill 5 was mandated, Round Rock schools underwent a transformation regarding the academies that are offered. Instead of four, five major academies are offered in all high schools, so the academy in which a program of study was offered may have shifted into a new one.
“The name changes were made due to House Bill 5,” Academy Specialist Gloria Evans said. “Which now states that all current ninth graders and future students must graduate with at least one endorsement.”
The new academies are as follows: Academy of Health Science, Academy of Business and Industry, Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, Academy of Public Services, and Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
With these new academies there are also changes in the graduation plan and credits. Each incoming freshman must declare an academy and earn endorsements within that academy. An endorsement is almost like a recognition for the classes a student takes, in a program of study, in which they earn four credits in three or more courses. Once the endorsement it earned, it will be placed into the student transcript. You can earn more than one endorsement at a time.
The endorsements are as follows: Business and Industry, STEM, Public Services, and Arts and Humanities.
“Due also to House Bill 5 there had to be some shifts in where some of the programs aligned.” Evans said. “This means that some programs are now aligned with a different academy based upon where the state has now defined that career cluster to fit for endorsement purposes.”
This takes immediate effect for the class of 2018 and after, so for the classes of 2015, 2016, and 2017, the only change they undergo is the name of the academy they are affiliated with.
For more information go to http://mcneil.roundrockisd.org/home and click on Academies.