Early College Academy

What Early College Academy does

Early College Academy (ECA) is a tuition-free public magnet high school operated within the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) district in Albuquerque, New Mexico, co-located with the Career Enrichment Center (CEC) at 807 Mountain Road NE. ECA serves 9th-12th grade students seeking accelerated college preparation through a mandatory minimum of six dual credit or Advanced Placement courses, with graduation requirements of 25 credits (Class of 2025-2027) rising to 30 credits for the Class of 2028 and beyond. The program is anchored by articulation agreements with three New Mexico post-secondary institutions — Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), University of New Mexico (UNM), and Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) — enabling students to earn college credit simultaneously with high school credit at no tuition cost, with APS covering required textbooks.

The institution's broader product surface is delivered through the adjacent CEC magnet program, which offers over 100 elective courses spanning animal science, arts and entertainment, business, education, engineering, healthcare, law and public safety, cosmetology, science, world languages, and work-based learning. Career-technical pathways also feed into professional certification programs in Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Cosmetology, and EMT. The technology backbone is a standard APS edtech stack: 1:1 Chromebook deployment, Edgenuity for credit recovery, GoGuardian for device monitoring, ClassLink for single sign-on, and Google Classroom for communication. Marketing and enrollment operate entirely through APS district channels — home-school counselor referrals, the APS choice/charter lottery process, Jump Start Day orientation events, and a monthly Family Newsletter — with no commercial sales motion. The school's economics are entirely public-sector: funded by state education allocations, local taxes, and federal grants, with nominal revenue from course material fees, a $45 annual student parking permit, and minor ancillary charges. ECA was designated a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School in 2019 and a New Mexico Public Education Department Spotlight School in 2025.

Name

Early College Academy

Legal name

Early College Academy

Website

https://cec.aps.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Early College Academy is a tuition-free public magnet high school within Albuquerque Public Schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, offering accelerated college preparation through dual credit courses with CNM, UNM, and IAIA, plus 100+ career-technical electives through the co-located Career Enrichment Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

Keywords

• Public high school
• Dual credit courses
• Early college education
• Career technical education
• Magnet school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: ECA is a tuition-free public magnet high school within Albuquerque Public Schools. Funded through state education funding, local tax revenues, and federal education grants. All courses are free to enrolled students. Transportation is provided free of charge.
2. Course Fees (Material Fees): Some CEC courses have fees to pay for course materials and/or supplies. Financial assistance available for families where course fees are a barrier to participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Early College Academy is a tuition-free public magnet high school within Albuquerque Public Schools that combines a rigorous early college curriculum (requiring a minimum of six dual credit or AP courses and 25–30 credits for graduation) with the Career Enrichment Center's 100+ elective and career-technical courses. Through partnerships with CNM, UNM, and IAIA, students earn simultaneous high school and college credit at no cost, with required textbooks funded by APS. The school also delivers professional certification pathways in Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Cosmetology, and EMT alongside competitive eSports, dual language, and college readiness programming.

Product overview

Early College Academy (ECA) and Career Enrichment Center (CEC) together form a comprehensive educational platform within Albuquerque Public Schools. ECA serves as the core early college high school program requiring 25-30 credits for graduation with mandatory dual credit/AP coursework. CEC operates as a supplementary magnet school offering over 100 elective courses across career pathways (Healthcare, Engineering, Business, Arts, Education, etc.) plus professional certification programs (Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Cosmetology, EMT). Students remain enrolled at their home high schools while attending CEC for specialized coursework. Dual credit opportunities through CNM, UNM, and IAIA allow students to earn college credits simultaneously. The institutions share facilities at 807 Mountain Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early College Academy (ECA) An APS School of Choice providing early college high school education with additional coursework and graduation requirements (25–30 credits including a minimum of six Dual Credit or AP courses), positioned as the premiere Early College High School in New Mexico to prepare students for college and career.
• Career Enrichment Center (CEC) A magnet school providing advanced elective coursework across 100+ courses and 11 career pathways including Animal Science, Arts/Entertainment/Design, Business, Education, Engineering, Healthcare, Law/Public Safety, Cosmetology, Science/Math, and World Languages, open to students from all Albuquerque high schools.
• Practical Nursing Program A CEC certification program allowing students to earn professional licensing in Practical Nursing through dual credit coursework with partner institutions.
• Nursing Assistant Program A CEC certification program enabling students to earn professional licensing as nursing assistants while still enrolled in high school.
• Cosmetology Program A career-focused CEC program where students earn instructional hours toward professional licensing in cosmetology.
• EMT Training Emergency Medical Technician training at CEC that prepares students to earn EMT certification prior to high school graduation.
• Dual Credit Program Program allowing ECA and CEC students to earn both college credit and high school elective credit through courses at CNM, UNM, and IAIA, with tuition-free classes and APS-paid textbooks.
• eSports Program Competitive gaming program featuring teams in Mario Kart, Rocket League, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros, recognized as four-time consecutive NM 2A state champions (2021–2024).

Quantifiable outcome

• ECA named NMPED Spotlight School 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary dual credit partnership allowing ECA/CEC students to take college-level courses at CNM for both high school and college credit. Students can take up to 2 CNM classes per term. APS pays for required textbooks. CNM provides computer loaner program for dual credit students.
• University of New Mexico (UNM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual credit partnership with UNM for college credit. UNM allows one dual credit class per student. UNM General Education courses used as guide for likely degree-applicable classes. UNM provides access to college readiness programs including summer prep programs.
• Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual credit partnership with IAIA offering college credit opportunities primarily for 11th and 12th grade students.
• New Mexico Higher Education DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partnership enabling NM Lottery Scholarship program. Students can use lottery scholarship at 29 public colleges in New Mexico to cover tuition. Also coordinates state financial aid programs and dual credit policies.
• New Mexico Department of Workforce SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer exploration partnership providing students access to career assessments, job search tools, and apprenticeship information. Students can explore careers and connect to NM colleges for degree programs through NM Career Solutions platform.
• Hualien Senior High School (Taiwan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural exchange partnership between CEC Chinese language students and students from Hualien, Taiwan. Virtual meetings conducted with postcard exchange program. Featured in Taiwan local newspapers.
• College BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, and AP exam administration. ECA CEEB code 320120 used for college entrance exam registration. AP courses offered for college credit. Big Future scholarships platform available.
• ACT, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT exam administration partnership for college readiness testing. Fee waivers available for qualifying students. ACT used for college admission and scholarship eligibility.
• Sandia National LaboratoriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious competitive internship opportunities for students at Sandia National Labs, both summer and year-round programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School): National early college model combining high school, college credit, and industry internships; comparable dual enrollment and career-certification structure to ECA's CNM/UNM/IAIA + Sandia pathway.
• Gateway Early College High School: Network of early college high schools partnering with community colleges; comparable tuition-free dual credit model emphasizing associate-degree completion alongside high school diploma.
• College & Career High School (APS): Sibling Albuquerque Public Schools magnet focused on college and career preparation. Same district governance, similar dual credit and CTE orientation, directly competes with ECA for APS choice applicants.
• Bard High School Early College: Public early college high school network founded by Bard College offering college credit alongside a high school diploma. Most directly comparable operating model to ECA: tuition-free public high school with integrated college-credit pathway.
• eCADEMY High School (APS): APS-operated alternative high school offering online and blended credit recovery; competes with ECA within the same district for non-traditional learners and serves as a substitute option for families weighing APS choice enrollment.

Others

• National Education Equity Lab: Nonprofit enabling dual credit and college courses at no cost for high school students; operates in adjacent space as an ecosystem enabler for early college models like ECA.

Regional players

• Atrisco Heritage Academy (APS): APS high school with a college-going culture and concurrent enrollment offerings in the same Albuquerque district; relevant as a regional alternative for families prioritizing proximity over ECA's specialty programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ABQschools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/APSExpectGreatThings
• Facebookfacebook.com/ABQschools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/early-college-academy-93

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Early College Academy