Round Rock ISD celebrated a major milestone Jan. 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Early College High School building on the Round Rock campus of Austin Community College.
Students, staff, community members and Round Rock ISD trustees gathered to mark the opening of the new facility, which represents years of planning and collaboration between the district and ACC. The new building will serve as the permanent home for ECHS, offering students a modern learning environment designed to support both high school coursework and college-level studies.
“The ECHS Class of 2026 will be the first to graduate from a space that’s all their own—a space that will be home to future classes as they prepare for life and leadership beyond high school,” said Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees President Alicia Markum. “We only have our high school students for four short years before they join the real world outside these walls. Today, we are proud to say that these walls are now permanent.”
Since the school’s establishment in 2016, students and staff have been housed entirely in portable buildings located on the south side of the ACC Round Rock campus.
Freshman parent Pabasara Hetti Arachchige said she now feels more confident in her decision to have her daughter attend ECHS.
“The portables were not comfortable for the students; in fact, we were hesitant to let our daughter come here last fall. Then we heard about this new building being built, and seeing it now, we know we made the right choice,” she said. “My daughter is excited to come to school! She was talking about how much space they have now, and how ‘Mom, there are so many windows now!’”
Construction on the new campus broke ground in May 2024 and was completed at the end of the fall 2025 semester. The approximately 50,000-square-foot facility features future-ready classrooms and science labs designed for flexibility and innovation.
“Today’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was a culmination of years of hard work, advocacy, and perseverance on behalf of our students,” said ECHS Principal Elizabeth Wilson. “This new Early College High School building stands as a testament to what is possible when vision, commitment, and love for students come together.”
The project was made possible through voter approval of the 2018 and 2024 Round Rock ISD bond programs, reflecting the community’s continued investment in access to innovative learning environments for all students.
Early College High School provides students the opportunity to earn college credit while completing their high school education, helping them graduate with a strong academic foundation and reduced college costs. The Class of 2025 included 60 students who had earned both their high school diploma and their associate degree from ACC.
Emily Saavedra, who teaches Advanced English II and serves as the Yearbook adviser at ECHS, said she thinks her Owls finally have the nest they deserve.
“Being in our new school building is almost surreal,” she said. “The moment our students walked into this building for the first time, their eyes lit up with wonder and pride, and in that moment, we knew every struggle had been worth it.”