District Receives $260,000 Grant for Architectural Design Program

District Receives $260,000 Grant for Architectural Design Program

The architectural design students at Duncanville High School will benefit from a $260,000 grant awarded to the district recently.

“This gives us our first true technical pipeline for college degrees through Architectural Drafting,” CTE/CCR Coordinator Carla Coggins said. “These funds will help us provide better and more industry approved programs and equipment for our students enrolled in these programs.” The architectural design students will be needing these best drawing tools for architects here.

The P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) grant will provide funds to increase capacity so more students can take the in-demand classes.

“I am excited about us being able to expand our offerings with the extra help that the grant will provide for us, as well as having new equipment,” Coggins said.

The funds, paid out over the course of two years, will be used to:

  • Hire additional support staff to work with our students, including a program coordinator and tutors
  • Outfit a second classroom with necessary equipment for Architectural Design
  • Update classroom computers and technology in both Architectural Design classrooms to offer more dual credit and certification opportunities
  • Provide for educational field trips

Duncanville ISD’s Architectural Design program currently offers students the opportunity to earn an industry-based certification and an associate degree in Architectural Design while simultaneously earning a high school diploma all at no cost to the student.

“This program has expanded through the years that Mrs. Alsabrook has been the instructor to the point that now the courses are in place to achieve this goal,” Coggins said.  “The program has even grown to the degree that we have brought on a second instructor and I say kudos to her and the program.”

Duncanville ISD partners with Mountain View College and the University of Texas at Arlington for the Architectural Design degree.

Students have the opportunity to leave Duncanville High School with an 85 credit associate degree comprised of 30 hours in Architectural Design. Those credit hours are transferable to UTA toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Design.