A Latino-heavy Texas school district recently noted a disturbingly high percentage of graduates (and an even higher percentage among Hispanics) were not even applying for college, and has teamed up with the local university to do something about it.

The Arlington Independent School district discovered that 20 percent of its graduates had not even applied for college. The number was 27 percent when looking at Hispanic students. The district, along with the University of Texas at Arlington, has announced a new initiative called "Bound for Success" to increase college enrollment by targeting students in younger grades.

"We know that there are students who excel throughout their high school years but for a variety of reasons do not pursue a college education," said Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, Arlington school district superintendent in a press release. "With this program, we are re-affirming that these students are prepared for success and that we are going to help guide them along their path to a college degree."

According to district statistics, the Arlington ISD has six senior high schools and a total student enrollment of more than 63,000, making it the eighth largest district in Texas. Hispanic students are the largest ethnic group, comprising 38.7 percent of the student population. Whites are the second largest segment with 30 percent of students.

"Bound for Success" will seek to identify students in the upper 20 percent of their grade level by their sophomore year, and will reward them with pre-admittance to UTA, contingent on their completing their high school curriculum.

Counselors will then begin working with selected students on the campuses of their Arlington ISD schools. The counselors will be guiding students toward college-credit and AP courses as well as offering workshops on college preparation and financial aid.

"A college education can alter an individual's life, but the impact of ensuring that more, well-prepared high school scholars advance through the University has the power to transform our communities," UT Arlington President Vistasp M. Karbhari said in the release. "Bound for Success will strengthen our workforce and mean that more young people will be prepared to create the knowledge, technologies and innovation needed to fuel the local and state economies for the future."