Students in Clear Creek ISD's virtual program are passing courses at a rate of at least 91% across all grade levels.
District officials shared the results at the board of trustees' Oct. 26 meeting, according to Community Impact. The program, called Clear Tech, has nearly 50 students enrolled in its first year. It is tuition-free.
Clear Tech, announced in early March, pairs CCISD students with asynchronous coursework through Texas Tech K-12. The lessons align with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards. Students remain enrolled with CCISD and are connected to one of three partner campuses: Clear Lake City Elementary, Creekside Intermediate or Clear Brook High School.
The district has described the program as a fit for students with demanding competitive sports or club schedules, homeschool families seeking flexible in-person support and families looking for a non-traditional school day.
Superintendent Karen Engle, who announced her retirement effective April 1, 2027, said in a district news release that the program "brings together two world-class educational institutions to offer students a rigorous academic program with the added benefits of in-person support and enrichment opportunities," according to a Texas Tech K-12 announcement published in April.
High school enrollment started with a ninth-grade cohort this year. Additional high school grade levels are planned for the 2027-28 school year, according to the Texas Tech announcement.
Why the district pursued a virtual option
The program is part of a broader push to attract students back to CCISD amid declining enrollment and a tight budget. District enrollment fell to 38,780 students in 2025-26, down from 39,684 the year before and 42,388 in 2019-20, according to Texas Education Agency data cited by Houston Public Media.
The board approved a budget with a $23 million shortfall on Aug. 24. Chief Financial Officer Alice Benzaia told the board at a July 13 workshop that the district projected an $18.4 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026-27 after planned payroll reductions. Online programs like Clear Tech are among the strategies officials identified to recruit students living within district boundaries who had enrolled elsewhere.
State legislation also opened the door. Senate Bill 569, passed during the 89th legislative session in 2025, gave districts more flexibility to offer virtual and hybrid learning, according to Community Impact's March report on the program's launch.
What's next
The application window for Clear Tech's spring semester closes Friday, Oct. 30. The board considered a first reading of local policy revisions related to Clear Tech at its Aug. 24 meeting. Families can find more information at cleartech.ccisd.net.
