The Cedar Hill High School Longhorns are all about academic success. Two years in a row, the school made the AP honor roll, a list of schools increasing the number of students taking advanced of classes and scoring well on their tests.

Now the district is adding guaranteed acceptance into college for the students in the top 25% of their graduating class.   

It's a partnership with Tarleton State University who agreed to take Cedar Hill's top students, automatically and provide them additional financial aid. 

"When they looked at students who attended from Cedar Hill there was a high completion rate. In other words, they felt very confident in the foundation they received from Cedar Hill once they enroll in Tarleton State they end up leaving Tarleton State with a degree,"  said Dr. Gerald Hudson, Superintendent of Cedar Hill ISD.

The program combined with a new recognition program for AP students, including a special lounge just for AP students is all part of a commitment to celebrate and help their students succeed.

Hudson said with COVID-19 in play, and families struggling financially, this option couldn't come at a better time.  

"It gives them an opportunity to reevaluate some kids who may have thought about going further away with the crisis we're dealing with to give them another option," said Hudson. Several other districts in North Texas have a similar new agreement with Tarleton including Aledo, Frisco, Joshua, Keller, Waxahachie and Weatherford. It's set to begin in the fall for the Class of 2021.