July 28, 2009 Dr. Gary Wixom, Assistant Commissioner Utah System of Higher Education Indiana Education Roundtable dual/Concurrent Enrollment: Opportunities for the Future

How Important is Education? Advances in technology have created jobs that demand skills beyond what was expected of the average worker three decades ago. As of 2006, nearly half of the adults over 25 had no more than a high school diploma or GED. Yet…

Earning a Livable Wage More than 2/3 of new jobs require some postsecondary education.

Success Requires a Focus on Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating) high school. Achievement – academic (and technical) course taking; grades; test scores. Transition – to postsecondary education without the need for remediation, and to the workplace.

Solution Includes Dual Enrollment It gets students engaged. Students discover they can achieve. It provides transition for students to a career pathway in a postsecondary program.

Dual Enrollment Benefits National research suggests Higher participation in postsecondary training Higher percentage completion rate Complete career pathway earlier Improved academic outcomes

NACEP Reports “Dual enrollment students were 11% more likely to persist through the second year of college than non-participating students.”

NACEP Reports “Dual enrollment students were 12% more likely to enter college within seven months of high school graduation than non-participating students.”

NACEP Reports “Dual enrollment students who completed 20 or more credits in the first year of college were 28% more likely to persist through the second year in college than were students who did not complete dual enrollment courses.”

CCRC Reports Students who struggle academically or who are at risk of dropping out may realize significant benefits from dual enrollment.

CCRC Reports Dual enrollment is known to provide a range of positive benefits: Increasing the academic rigor of high school curriculum. Helping low-performing students meet high academic standards. Providing more academic opportunities and electives.

20 Years of Success In Utah

# of Courses, USHE 2008

Courses Students Enroll In Academic Courses Enrollment College Algebra 4,800 Intro to Writing 4,649 American Civilization 2,303 General Psychology 2,227 Intermediate Algebra 2,083 Trigonometry 1,846 Personal Finance 1,594 Intro to Humanities 1,264 Biology and the Citizen 1,249 US Government and Politics 1,018 Intro to Interpersonal Comm. 944 Intro to Sociology 751 Human Development 663 Intro to Chemistry 627 Intro to Music 549 CTE Courses Enrollment Computer Essentials 5,129 Medical Terminology 1,994 Marriage & Family 1,165 Foundations in Nutrition 971 Intro to Word Processing 958 Intro to Microcomputers 833 First Aid 625 3D Computer Aided Drafting 618 Intro to Spreadsheets 606 Intro to Communication 589 Lifetime Wellness/Fitness 555 First Aid: Emergency Response 551 Basic Drawing (non majors) 560 Intro to CIL Test 530 Basic Drafting 506

Concurrent Enrollment Students Non-Concurrent Enrollment Students What Have We Learned? Concurrent enrollment students are retained! Degree Intent Concurrent Enrollment Students Non-Concurrent Enrollment Students Seeking a 2-year Certificate or Degree 60% 42% Seeking a 4-year Degree 68% 59% Average 64% 49%

ACT Scores Are Higher 72% of concurrent enrollment students have an ACT above 20. ACT Scores Concurrent Enrollment Students ACT Scores Non Concurrent Enrollment Students 22.26 20.99

CCRC Reports Dual enrollment has historically targeted high-achieving high school students, but today it is increasingly seen by educators and policymakers as a strategy to help a broader range of students make the transition from high school to college.

Issues The Partnership / Secondary-Postsecondary Student Preparation Curriculum Oversight Faculty Credentials Funding Mechanism

Partnership Establishing a genuine, visible, partnership between public and higher education An Oversight Committee should meet regularly Standards of practice should be jointly adopted

Student Preparation Students must demonstrate preparedness Students enrolled in concurrent enrollment classes must demonstrate their ability to do college-level work. These standards may include an overall GPA, ACT score, or assessment for placement in math or English.

Curriculum Oversight Concurrent enrollment courses must use an approved syllabus, have the same course content, use the approved text material, and use assessment instruments as specified by the sponsoring department.

Faculty Credentials All concurrent enrollment faculty must meet the established criteria for adjunct status of the sponsoring department. A minimum of a master’s degree in the subject or related area will generally be required.

Funding Mechanisms Funding must cover the costs of preparation, assessment, delivery, and evaluation of dual enrollments courses Legislative Appropriation Tuition and Fees Combination

Conclusion Develop quality programs Reach students of all backgrounds and academic interests. Prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow Increase the number of students completing postsecondary training.

Questions