When the Mount Vernon High School senior class of 2000 took their first dual credit class, it would be the third time I taught this group of students.
I first taught them as sixth graders during my first year at Mount Vernon ISD. Years later, I taught many of the same students again as 10th graders and watched them grow academically and personally. When they returned to my classroom as seniors in 1999, the experience felt different. This time, they were enrolled in a college-level English course, earning college credit while still in high school.
Those students became the first Mount Vernon seniors to participate in dual credit and launched a partnership between Mount Vernon High School and Northeast Texas Community College that continues to this day.
The first dual-credit English course took place in the multimedia room at the Mount Vernon High School library. I taught the class in person to Mount Vernon students while an interactive television connected a group of Harmony High School seniors to the class.
A total of 19 students enrolled across both schools. At Mount Vernon, the senior class had about 100 students, and 13 seniors chose to participate in the new opportunity, accounting for approximately 13% of the graduating class and a total of 26 enrollments.
At that time, many families had never heard of dual credit, and student involvement reflected both academic willingness and trust in a new instructional model. Amy Brisco, owner of Mount Vernon Gym, remembered taking part in that first dual credit class.
“It was 1999, and the internet was in play. I remember we were worried about Y2K, and I thought, ‘This feels like the Twilight Zone. Half of my class is on TV in another city,’” Brisco said. Enrolled in her first college class during the hysteria leading up to the turn of the 21st century, Brisco recalled the feeling. “It was wild,” she said. I felt like things were futuristic, but it was also maybe the end of time.”
District and college leaders worked closely to support the program’s launch. During the 1999–2000 school year, Bill Travis, who served as principal of Mount Vernon High School, said the goal was to give students both a strong public school education and a head start on college.
“I wanted students to get a good education in public school, but I also wanted them to have an advantage in college by graduating high school with some college credit,” Travis said. “From a parent’s standpoint, even with my own children, it was an economical way for students to receive college credit. We were excited to have the opportunity to offer these college classes at the high school.”
Northeast Texas Community College administrators oversaw academic supervision and curriculum alignment for dual credit courses. Dr. Michael Dennehy, then the director of institutional effectiveness and distance education at NTCC, collaborated with Mount Vernon High School administrators and faculty to ensure the courses met college standards while remaining accessible to high school students.
What started as a single English class gradually developed into a sustained college-readiness pathway. As early participants succeeded and shared their experiences, confidence in the program increased, and more students and families began to see dual credit as achievable.
In June 2023, the Texas Legislature expanded statewide access to dual credit with the passage of House Bill 8. The law standardizes dual credit tuition and allows eligible underserved students to enroll in dual credit courses at no cost. The state now pays the tuition for those students.
House Bill 8 represented a major shift for dual credit participation in Texas. By eliminating financial barriers, the legislation made sure that family income no longer determined whether a student could earn college credit while still in high school.
Mount Vernon students quickly experienced the benefits. Students who once hesitated to pursue dual credit now fully participate and gain early college experience at no extra cost.
Mount Vernon ISD also continues to invest locally by covering part of the dual credit costs for students. Together, state and district leaders support a long-standing community belief that higher education should be accessible to all students.
Today, dual credit is well established at Mount Vernon High School. In the 2025-2026 academic year, 230 students are enrolled in the dual credit program, and Mount Vernon students have taken or are currently enrolled in 571 classes. Course offerings include:
US History 1 & 2
English Composition 1 & 2
Mathematics – College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus 1, Statistics
Science – Solar Systems, Stars, and Galaxies
Speech
Business Courses – Business Computer Information Systems, Intro to Business, Leadership, Accounting 1 & 2
Philosophy
Psychology
State and Federal Government
Macro and Micro Economics
Agriculture – Horticulture and Animal Science
Creative Arts – Drama, Art, and Music Appreciation
NTCC President Dr. Kevin Rose acknowledges the program’s strong growth, which reflects both changing education policies and ongoing local dedication.
“The long-standing partnership between Northeast Texas Community College and Mount Vernon High School is a reflection of this community’s commitment to its students,” Rose said. “For more than two decades, we have worked side by side to ensure Mount Vernon students have access to college-level opportunities that prepare them for success.”
What once required a leap of faith from a small group of seniors has become a standard opportunity for students preparing for life after high school.
More than 25 years after that first class met in the library multimedia room, the Mount Vernon–NTCC dual credit partnership remains a source of pride for the community. Hundreds of students have graduated with college credits, lowering college costs, saving time, and boosting confidence for higher education.
What began in 1999 with interactive televisions, a shared classroom, and a small group of seniors willing to try something new has grown into a lasting educational legacy built on collaboration, access, and belief in students’ potential.
Note: Anna Ingram served as the first dual credit English instructor at Mount Vernon High School and now serves as the vice president of instruction at NTCC.
