About the Advanced Technical Credit Program
The Advanced Technical Credit (ATC) Program gives high school students a chance to receive credit at participating community colleges across Texas for taking certain enhanced technical courses during high school. The statewide articulated courses and their equivalent college courses are listed in the ATC Course Crosswalk. All the participating community colleges have agreed to offer students credit for these courses, provided the college offers the course and the student meets certain criteria. For a high school to offer an ATC course to its students, the teacher of the course must meet the ATC teacher requirements, go through ATC training and teach the high school course so that it is enhanced to meet the content of the equivalent college course. ATC courses are only offered in technical or workforce areas – courses in academic areas such as English or history are not offered as ATC courses.
Students may earn a performance acknowledgement by either successfully completing at least 12 hours of college academic hours including dual credit, advanced technical credit and locally articulated classes with a grade of the equivalent of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 or by using these courses as part of earning an associate‘s degree in high school. Students who qualify can receive credit towards a two-year associate’s degree or one-year certificate. Also, students in an ATC course may receive weighted points toward their GPA.