High School Partnerships Newsletter
Howard College
Important Dates
August 2026
17 Courses begin for Fall 16-week and Fall 1 (1st 8 wks)
24 Last day to drop a course for Fall 1 without a W*
25 Certified census rosters due for Fall 1 from embedded instructors
31 Last day to drop a course for Fall 16-wk without a W*
*For information on drops and withdrawals, see Drops and Withdrawals in the General Academic Information section of the Howard College catalog.
Bypass Code for Blackboard Access
We are continuing with the use of bypass codes so that students can access Blackboard at high school campuses without the use of cell phones. The company that is providing the multi-factor authentication feature is working through some bugs with the process, and we decided to wait to implement the process (which will not require bypass codes) to ensure it is working correctly. The directions for the bypass code process are attached below. Please have students submit IT support requests if they have any issues. Students that were in dual credit before this year should be able to use logins and codes that they set up previously. For new students to dual credit, once they are enrolled, it will take 24-48 hours for their bypass code to be generated.
Course Access for Dual Credit Proctors and Facilitators
We are excited to offer dual credit proctor/facilitator access to dual credit courses this year. The proctors/facilitators will be able to see course due dates and announcements and grades for students in the district. I will send an email to counselors with a short form to share names and email addresses of those that that you would like to have proctor/facilitator access. I will then send them a short form so that we can document who has access and create the accounts. This is not a requirement; schools do not have to access courses or have anyone in the district with access. It is an option if it would be helpful to you.
Online Dual Credit Application
The online application is the first stop for students in dual credit.
Click the link under the image below for the Dual Credit Fall 2026 information one-pager that you can email to students. Any text that is underlined is a link. Please note that the first step in starting in dual credit at Howard College is to complete the online application (link above and in the doc below). The dual credit orientation video contains information on setting up college email, getting into Blackboard, and paying for courses. Students are able to opt in to account payment reminders via email. Please disregard the last section of the orientation video about resetting passwords. For any technical, email, or password issues, complete an IT support request.
Dr. Cheryl Sparks Honored for 50 Years of Service at Howard College
Howard College proudly celebrated President Dr. Cheryl T. Sparks as she reached an extraordinary milestone - 50 years of dedicated service to the college. During the August 3 Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Sparks was presented with a Resolution of Appreciation and Thankfulness recognizing five decades of unwavering commitment, visionary leadership, and steadfast dedication to Howard College's mission of transforming lives through education. On August 6, Howard College continued the celebration during its annual Making Dreams Real Day, where Board of Trustees Vice Chairman, Adrian Calvio, presented Dr. Sparks with her 50-year service pin in recognition of her remarkable achievement.
Throughout her career, Dr. Sparks has helped shape Howard College into an institution known for excellence, opportunity, service, and innovation while remaining deeply committed to student success and the communities the college serves. Her leadership has left a lasting impact on generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters. Howard College is sincerely grateful to Dr. Sparks for her leadership and steadfast commitment over the past half-century. Her legacy of service will continue to inspire the Howard College family for years to come.
Congratulations, Dr. Sparks, on 50 years of Making Dreams Real!
Catalog Changes 2026-27
Recent board-approved catalog changes have impacted our program of study/pathway documents in a few small areas. The Information Technology (IT) Level I certificate has increased from 15 to 18 hours. The added class (ITSC 1316) was removed from the IT Level II certificate, which has been reduced from 15 to 12 hours. The Business Level I certificate now includes BMGT 1327, which increases the hours from 15 to 18. BMGT 1327 was removed from the Business Level II certificate, decreasing the requirement from 15 to 12 hours. Each of these certificates may be the next step after a student completes the program of study and are included on the Information Technology Support and Services or Business Management program of study/pathway documents.
Updates from TEA
Updates from College Bridge
The 2026-27 kick-off from Texas College Bridge takes place virtually on August 11, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sessions will be provided on teacher training for test prep and college prep; strategies for increasing accountability, CCMR ratings, and outcomes bonus funding; Q&A; program evaluation results and upcoming opportunities for evaluation; and EdReady reporting training. Register here.
Texas College Bridge held a virtual summit on March 26, 2026, and shared College Bridge's connection with accountability, their application for TEA's approved college prep provider list, and the Fall 2026 launch of TSIA2 test prep. Click here for the recording of the main session (one hour) and here for the school district/charter school/private school breakout session (30 minutes). You can access the presentation slides here.
Howard College Veterinary Technology Program Starting Fall 2027
Our new vet tech program is NOT currently offered for dual credit; however, it is a great opportunity for your seniors this year who are interested in starting the program after they graduate next spring. The program is a comprehensive, full-time, two-year program. The Associate of Applied Science degree in Veterinary Technology equips graduates with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for a rewarding career in a veterinary hospital, wildlife/zoo medicine, agriculture industry, shelter medicine, medical research laboratory, government regulatory agency, or the Veterinary Medical Corps. This is an academic animal health care program designed to train veterinary health care professionals for certification and licensure. Veterinary technicians are trained to assist veterinarians in areas such as surgical procedures, laboratory work, radiography, anesthesiology, administration of prescribed treatments and nursing care, as well as providing client education.
Learn more about how to apply and admission criteria here.
