Guy Bailey says UTRGV high school is a “New model for the United States.”

UTRGV has expanded higher education at the local administration level by opening Harlingen Collegiate High School (HCH) in collaboration with the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD).

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last Monday in Harlingen and was attended by the UTRGV leadership team, HCISD, and Mayor Chris Boswell from the city of Harlingen.

Now formally known as UTRGV HCH. 

According to Boswell, the city of Harlingen played an important role in the agreement by providing UTRGV Harlingen Collegiate High School, an 80-acre land in which it now resides. 

The city of Harlingen has worked with UTRGV to open other facilities in the area.

UTRGV President Guy Bailey shared his thoughts about the new partnership between UTRGV and HCISD.

“This is a model for the United States not just the facility, but the collaboration, the integration, the role of the school district, the city, the university, working together, of how things ought to work.”

Boswell is grateful for the president’s guidance.

“Guy Bailey’s leadership of UTRGV has been nothing short of outstanding, superlative … UTRGV is a rising star in the UT system…”

The innovative partnership is not a replacement for what it is the Math and Science Academy in Edinburg and Brownsville, according to UTRGV Executive Vice President and Provost Janna Arney. 

“It’s another option for students and it’s just, different students have different goals, and have different pathways for them…” Arney said.

Bailey described the collegiate path as,

“The next step for really, making education truly integrated, efficient, cost-effective, that’s what we really want to do,” said Bailey.

Asked about what city is next to create a similar partnership, Bailey said this,

“Well, I don’t wanna give away anything, I can’t really, but there are other cities involved.”

For more information on UTRGV HCH, visit their website. 

This is Carla Landaverde for Vaquero Radio.