Arrowhead Park Early College High School
The Bridge’s first major accomplishment was opening New Mexico’s first Early College High School (ECHS) in partnership with Las Cruces Public Schools, Dona Ana Community College, and New Mexico State University.
Identified as a best practice for increasing graduation rates (90% nationally) and a strong pipeline from high school to college, the Arrowhead Park ECHS opened in the fall of 2010. All 112 students in its freshman class went on to tenth grade with not one student dropping out.
The link between education and the economy cannot be understated. Just considering the impact of no dropouts on that first class of the Early College High School, the nation gains a whopping $7 million more in benefits over the lifetimes of these students. Dona Ana County gains:
- $100,000 to $384,000 in annual income
- $90,000 to $350,000 in additional spending and investing
- $230,000 in funding to LCPS
The state also benefits from improved return on investment of its educational dollars:
- Students earn a high school diploma and a two-year associates degree in just four years
- 16% savings on construction costs per student (half the cost per square foot of a traditional campus)
- Greatly reduced time from concept to completion (18 months vs. 5 years for a traditional, comprehensive high school)
- $250,000 in future remediation savings
Discussions are currently underway for more Early College High Schools in the Las Cruces, Gadsden, and Hatch districts. There could be as many as four county-wide in the next five years.
