Amanda Hortman

Amanda Hortman, assistant principal and dean of instruction at Three Lakes Middle School, was named principal of Tyler ISD’s Early College High School (ECHS) during the February Board of Trustees regular meeting. Hortman will replace current principal, DelSenna Frazier, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

“We are extremely appreciative of Del Frazier and her inaugural leadership as principal for Tyler ISD’s Early College High School,” Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “We expect Ms. Hortman to continue that excellent performance at ECHS. She embodies what we expect from our principals: prioritize student outcomes, provide excellent professional leadership for staff, and work well with constituents.”

Tyler ISD’s Early College High School program gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree from Tyler Junior College (TJC) while also earning their high school diploma. The rigorous four-year program (9- 12 grades) has seen tremendous success with a 100% high school graduation rate and 99% college graduation rate. This means that since it began in 2015, 176 students have graduated from ECHS and 174 of these graduates earned college degrees. Graduates either enter directly into the workforce or continue on their path to earn a bachelor’s degree.  

“It is impossible to truly express how excited and humbled I am to be named the next principal of Early College High School in Tyler ISD,” Hortman said. “My hope is that even more students will meet their career and educational goals through this amazing opportunity that Tyler ISD, in partnership with TJC, provides.”

Ms. Hortman is in her eighteenth year in education. Her career began in Tyler ISD as a bilingual education teacher at Douglas Elementary School, where she taught for seven years. After teaching in Bryan ISD for two years, she returned to her teaching role at Douglas before becoming a bilingual instructional specialist for the District. In this role, she provided instructional support to Bilingual/ESL teachers at campuses across the District. Ms. Hortman joined the Three Lakes Middle School administrative team in 2017 as an assistant principal and dean of instruction.

“I want to serve our students in such a way that they can take their talents and use them to ‘do the most good’ in our community, state, and wherever it is that life may take them, continuing the legacy of successful student outcomes that this partnership provides,” Hortman said.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Hines at 903-262-1064.