This week, the Senate Education Committee passed SB 87 out of committee. Sen. Stan Humphries has done an excellent job bringing this bill back to the General Assembly --the bill passed the Senate in 2013. This legislation would support dual credit courses in our high schools.
Dual credit is defined in KRS 164.002 (4) as a “college-level course of study developed in accordance with KRS 164.098 (Council on Postsecondary Education standards) in which a student receives credit from both the high school and postsecondary institution.” Under SB 87, students could use Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) money they had earned to pay for tuition of up to six college credits per year.
Below is an excerpt from a blog I wrote in 2012 about the need for dual credit funding.
The Need for College Credit for High School Students
Recently, The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)
conducted a survey of school districts to ask about dual credit
issues.
conducted a survey of school districts to ask about dual credit
issues.
• more than 32 percent of school districts do not offer dual credit
for career and technical courses
for career and technical courses
• more than 97 percent of school districts do offer dual credit for
college general education courses
college general education courses
• more than 60 percent of the districts require parents/students
to pay for tuition costs
to pay for tuition costs
• more than 60 percent of districts require parents/students to
pay for textbooks
pay for textbooks
• more than 30 percent of districts utilize virtual learning for
dual credit
dual credit
As I visit school districts across Kentucky, I find many variations
in the cost of dual credit. In some locations, the postsecondary
institution has funding to offer dual credit at no cost to students.
In other locations, students pay the full tuition costs that a
college student would pay.
in the cost of dual credit. In some locations, the postsecondary
institution has funding to offer dual credit at no cost to students.
In other locations, students pay the full tuition costs that a
college student would pay.
The results of our survey and my personal visits reveal a number
of concerns about equity of opportunity across Kentucky for
students to have equal access to dual credit courses.
Why is dual credit a good idea?
of concerns about equity of opportunity across Kentucky for
students to have equal access to dual credit courses.
Why is dual credit a good idea?
A recent study from Jobs for the Future – Taking College
Courses in High School: A Strategy for College Readiness –
studied the impact of dual credit courses in Texas. Texas has
had a strategy around college readiness and dual credit for
a number of years. Here are some of the findings
Courses in High School: A Strategy for College Readiness –
studied the impact of dual credit courses in Texas. Texas has
had a strategy around college readiness and dual credit for
a number of years. Here are some of the findings
• Students who take dual credit courses were 2.2 times
more likely to enroll in higher education.
more likely to enroll in higher education.
• Students who took dual credit courses were 2 times
more likely to return for a second year of college.
more likely to return for a second year of college.
• Students who took dual credit courses were 1.7 times
more likely to complete a college degree.
more likely to complete a college degree.
I strongly support SB 87 for the following reasons.
• Dual credit works. As evidenced in my 2012 blog, students
who take dual credit courses are more successful in
postsecondary.
who take dual credit courses are more successful in
postsecondary.
• Funding will actually save money. Providing KEES
funding for high school students taking dual credit courses
will actually save money in the long run. Students who
receive dual credit tuition funding through KEES will be
more likely to complete postsecondary degrees which will
lead to better paying jobs and improved revenue for the state.
funding for high school students taking dual credit courses
will actually save money in the long run. Students who
receive dual credit tuition funding through KEES will be
more likely to complete postsecondary degrees which will
lead to better paying jobs and improved revenue for the state.
• Funding for dual credit addresses inequity. Students in
Pikeville should have the same opportunity to take dual credit
courses as students in Paducah and receive tuition support
from the state. Our current system reveals huge inequities
across school systems and higher education service regions.
Why should one student pay $190 per credit hour in one part
of the state and another student receive the course for no cost?
Pikeville should have the same opportunity to take dual credit
courses as students in Paducah and receive tuition support
from the state. Our current system reveals huge inequities
across school systems and higher education service regions.
Why should one student pay $190 per credit hour in one part
of the state and another student receive the course for no cost?
• There are no long term costs. SB 87 would provide the
funding for tuition through KEES funds, however, no student
would get more KEES funding than they would have earned
under the existing program. There will be a short term cost
as the program is implemented for high school seniors in
2014-15 and high school juniors in 2015-16.
funding for tuition through KEES funds, however, no student
would get more KEES funding than they would have earned
under the existing program. There will be a short term cost
as the program is implemented for high school seniors in
2014-15 and high school juniors in 2015-16.
• Funding will increase our college- and career-readiness
rates. In 2009, Senate Bill 1 set a goal of 67 percent of KY high
school graduates reaching college and career readiness by 2015.
Students who successfully complete dual credit courses in either
general education or career/technical education are twice as
likely to reach college- and career-readiness as students who do
not take dual credit courses.
rates. In 2009, Senate Bill 1 set a goal of 67 percent of KY high
school graduates reaching college and career readiness by 2015.
Students who successfully complete dual credit courses in either
general education or career/technical education are twice as
likely to reach college- and career-readiness as students who do
not take dual credit courses.
• Funding will enhance career and technical education.
Prior to 2012-13, there was no significant cost for many students
who took dual credit career and technical courses. Since that
time, enrollment has dramatically decreased due to students
having to pay an administrative fee to take the courses. This
decline in dual credit enrollment in career and technical courses
will have a significant impact on students able to gain industry
recognized certifications which in turn means Kentucky will
have a less skilled workforce.
Prior to 2012-13, there was no significant cost for many students
who took dual credit career and technical courses. Since that
time, enrollment has dramatically decreased due to students
having to pay an administrative fee to take the courses. This
decline in dual credit enrollment in career and technical courses
will have a significant impact on students able to gain industry
recognized certifications which in turn means Kentucky will
have a less skilled workforce.
• Dual credit benefits many students. Dual credit is not just
for our brightest students. More than 3,700 students earned in
excess of 22,000 credit hours in 2012-13 and thousands more
earned dual credit in general education courses. In many school
districts, better than 40 percent of high school seniors graduate
with six or more credit hours thanks to dual credit. In many
of our early college models, students can graduate with 30
hours or more of dual credit.
for our brightest students. More than 3,700 students earned in
excess of 22,000 credit hours in 2012-13 and thousands more
earned dual credit in general education courses. In many school
districts, better than 40 percent of high school seniors graduate
with six or more credit hours thanks to dual credit. In many
of our early college models, students can graduate with 30
hours or more of dual credit.
• Dual credit saves parents and students money. By gaining
dual credit through an early college program or career technical
program, students achieve college- and career- readiness at
higher rates meaning they should not have to take non-credit
bearing remedial courses in college which will save parents and
students money.
dual credit through an early college program or career technical
program, students achieve college- and career- readiness at
higher rates meaning they should not have to take non-credit
bearing remedial courses in college which will save parents and
students money.
As a member of the board that oversees the KEES funding, I do recognize that we must work out the initial impact of SB 87; however, I do hope that we will not sacrifice long term benefits for our students, our postsecondary programs, and our economy for the sake of short term inability to provide adequate funding. I hope we can come together in the next few weeks to resolve the issues around
SB 87. OUR KIDS CAN’T WAIT!!!
SB 87. OUR KIDS CAN’T WAIT!!!
thanks for posting about dual credit courses do you also teach how credit repair works?
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