Concurrent Enrollment: National Overview of Key Policy Components Jennifer Dounay and Mike Griffith Education Commission of the States Presentation at Pikes Peak Community College Colorado Springs, CO March 6, 2009

Education Commission of the States About ECS 50-state education compact est’d 1965 Nonpartisan, nonprofit Serves all state-level education policymakers and their staffs: –Governors –Legislators –State board members –State superintendents –SHEEOS and higher education leaders

Education Commission of the States Overview CO bill & best practices nationally on: –Offering: mandatory or voluntary –Finance: tuition, reimbursement of partners –Student/parent notification –Instructor/course quality –Credit transfer –Evaluation requirement –“Other” considerations

Education Commission of the States Offering Voluntary or Mandatory Voluntary = 20 states Mandatory = 17 states Not Specified = 9

Education Commission of the States Who Is Primarily Responsible for Paying Tuition Student/parents: 22 states Student’s school district: 6 states Participating PS institution: 3 states State DOE or other state org.: 3 states Four states have multiple dual enrollment programs w/diff. groups responsible for tuition No clear funding system in place: 6 states

Education Commission of the States State Funding of Participating High Schools Thirty-one states provide schools/districts with the same level of funding for dual enrollment students and traditional HS students Eight states provide equal funding for dual enrollment and traditional HS students, but with qualifications Four states provide reduced funding for dual enrollment students as compared to traditional HS students One state provides different levels of funding, depending on which program a student is in Six states do not specify the funding levels for dual enrollment students in statute or regulations

Education Commission of the States State Funding of Participating PS Institutions Thirty-eight states provide postsecondary institutions with the same level of funding for dual enrollment students and traditional PS students Two states provide equal funding for dual enrollment and traditional PS students, but with qualifications One state funds dual enrollment students at a higher level than traditional PS students No state provides reduced funding for dual enrollment students as compared to traditional PS students

Education Commission of the States State Funding of PS Institutions (cont’d) One state provides different levels of funding, depending on which program a student is participating in Eight states do not specify the PS funding levels for dual enrollment students in statute or regulations

Education Commission of the States Recommended feature: Students/Parents Must Be Notified of Dual Enrollment Opportunities Yes = 20 states No = 25 states Not Specified = 1 state

Education Commission of the States Recommended feature: Instructor/Course Quality Yes = 29 states No = 17 states

Education Commission of the States Instructor/Course Quality: State approaches PS trains, supervises, evaluates HS teachers HS teacher appointed adjunct faculty HS teacher must meet same qualifications as faculty member Course materials must be evaluated

Education Commission of the States Recommended feature: Public PS Inst. Must Accept Credits Yes = 15 states No = 14 states Unclear = 15 states Varies = 2 states

Education Commission of the States Recommended feature: Evaluation Requirement Yes = 13 states No = 31 states Partial Credit = 2

Education Commission of the States “Other” considerations Location, location, location Eligibility requirements