“Innovating the Future of Educational Attainment in the Coastal Bend” … Del Mar College holds second annual Superintendent Symposium to provide update, cover progress impacting Dual Enrollment Program
Dual Enrollment participation among area high school students continues to grow, makes up 31 percent of fall 2025 credit enrollment; DMC currently partners with 51 ISDs
Article by Melinda Eddleman
The program keeps growing. Data shows that credit student participation in Del Mar College’s Dual Enrollment Program has grown nearly 40 percent from fall 2020 to this semester, increasing from 2,628 to 3,671 Coastal Bend high school students who are well on their way to a brighter future through access to higher education.
In fact, regional Dual Enrollment students make up over 31 percent of the college’s fall 2025 credit enrollment, which totals 11,700 students overall (preliminary enrollment*). Additionally, another 1,390 high school students are taking Continuing Education courses leading to Marketable Skills Awards or licensure in certain offerings. * The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will certify figures this month for final fall 2025 enrollment figure, which is subject to change from today’s reporting.
Currently, 51 independent school districts (ISDs), parochial schools and charter schools combined, along with home schooled students, participate with the Dual Enrollment Program. Last year, the number was 43.
Del Mar College has much to celebrate, including growth in partnerships and student participation in our Dual Enrollment Program. Bringing together many of the Coastal Bend’s superintendents and other organizations will allow the college to share our progress with this program, collect ideas and needs among our primary education partners and network to discuss how we all can work together to produce the next generation of highly skilled, well-educated members of the Coastal Bend’s workforce.
On Nov. 18, DMC officials, superintendents from partnering Coastal Bend ISDs and other guests met for the second annual Superintendent Symposium scheduled at the Oso Creek Campus to cover the progress the college’s Dual Enrollment Program has achieved over the past year and what the next steps will be.
The symposium targeted the impact the Dual Enrollment Program provides in preparing students for either additional workforce training or transferability to the university level and how Del Mar will continue progressing forward through ISD partnerships to make higher education attainable for Coastal Bend high school students. Presenters, including students and faculty, highlighted the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Program and “next steps” as college officials prepare for another cohort in fall 2026. Additionally, Flour Bluff ISD Superintendent Chris Steinbruck provided an address focused on his district’s partnership with the college and other area entities to prepare students for regional high demand job opportunities.
Listen to KEDT Radio’s Nov. 19 broadcast of interviews with Dr. Escamilla and Steinbruck conducted during the symposium:
Play audio file
The Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Program focuses on transitioning not only graduating seniors who participated in the college’s Dual Enrollment Program but also graduating seniors who may not have taken DMC credit courses while in high school. Data shows that 232 students who were Dual Enrollment seniors this past year enrolled in the program while 662 spring 2025 high school graduates without college credits enrolled. Together they make up nearly 50 percent of this fall’s Freedom to Dream cohort.
DMC’s Dual Enrollment Program offers students in the ninth through twelfth grades attending high schools that partner with the college the opportunity to take courses whether they’re through Continuing Education programs to earn industry credentials or Marketable Skills Awards in healthcare, construction, welding or process technology or through the college’s academic programs for workforce preparation with Level I and II Certificates or associate’s degrees or for core course completion for university transfer.
In fall 2023, the college rolled out the Dual Credit Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) Program with funding administered through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A part of House Bill 8 (HB 8), the Dual Credit FAST Program provides greater accessibility to higher education at no cost for students defined as educationally disadvantaged, specifically those who qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch during any of the four school years prior to enrolling in an eligible dual credit course.
Del Mar College chose to expand “no cost” tuition and fees to all high school students, including those considered non-qualifying FAST dual credit students who are taking eligible credit and Continuing Education courses and attending one of the partnering ISDs, parochial schools or charter schools in the region.
Dual Enrollment allows high school students to start earning college and industry-specific credentials in one of nearly 110 DMC certificate and degree programs among eight career pathways, including:
– Architecture, Aviation and Automotive
– Business Administration and Entrepreneurship
– Communication, Fine Arts and Social Sciences
– Health Sciences
– Industrial Technology
– Kinesiology and Education
– Public Service
– Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Del Mar College is proud of the pioneering initiatives we launched over the past few years, including the FAST Program and the Freedom to Dream initiative. We’re giving more regional students access to higher education not only while still attending high school but also the opportunity to continue their journey with the college to either complete training and move into the workforce or take the next step after earning those core degrees that support transitioning to a university for further study.
Dr. Rivera said that it’s never too early to introduce youth to the concept of attending college and notes that DMC began familiarizing middle school-age students, specifically eighth graders, and their parents with the college’s Dual Enrollment Program to encourage participation when they reach high school.
“We’re student-centric and a leading force in building the Coastal Bend’s workforce for today and in the future,” he noted. “With new initiatives in place and more to come, we’re ensuring students have choices to earn the credentials they need for successful academic and career pursuits that impact their own lives and everyone living in the Coastal Bend region.”
The Superintendent Symposium concluded with a video produced onsite featuring a few of the area’s superintendents providing quick remarks about what is the most exciting achievement occurring in their district now, along with a special message from retired West Oso ISD Superintendent and current DMC’s Superintendent in Residence Conrado Garcia, who emceed the event:
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
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