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Dual Enrollment Guidelines Print E-mail

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Dual Enrollment Grant Program

2008-09 Program Grant Application Guidelines

 

“The dual enrollment program has been nothing short of a life-altering experience. Prior to my admittance into the program, I could hardly hope for anything better than maintaining a minimum wage job for the rest of my life. The program has helped me realize just how many opportunities are available to me through education and obtaining a degree.”
--A. Bottos, Participating student

In accordance with Article XVI-B of the Public School Code, 24 P.S. §§ 1601-B-1615-B, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will award grants to school districts and Career and Technology Centers (CTCs) that have students participating in dual enrollment programs that meet the requirements of the law. These guidelines serve to supplement, and not supplant, Article XVI-B of the Public School Code, 24 P.S. §§ 1601-B-1615-B.

I. Program Background and Context

Dual enrollment, referred to as “concurrent enrollment” in the School Code, is an effort by the Commonwealth to encourage a broader range of students to experience postsecondary coursework and its increased academic rigor, while still in the supportive environment of their local high school. The intent is to increase the number of students that go on to postsecondary education and to decrease the need for remedial coursework at postsecondary institutions. It is a locally administered program that allows a secondary student to concurrently enroll in post-secondary courses and to receive both secondary and postsecondary credit for that coursework.

Recent research makes the need for dual enrollment programs clear:

  • Dual enrollment programs are a proven method for increasing postsecondary participation for all students. In Florida, for instance, dual enrollment students enroll in higher education at rates significantlyhigher than students who do not enroll. This trend is particularly true for underrepresented populations, including African-American and Latino students. (source: Add and Subtract by Jobs for the Future)
  • Approximately half of students entering collegetake remedial courses. Dual enrollment programs help students be better prepared for the rigors of college, and decrease the need for remedial courses when they get there. (source: The Condition of Education by the U.S. Department of Education)
  • As tuition costs have increased nationwide, lower-income students are less likely to go on to higher education. According to a UCLA report, the nation’s college freshmen are more financially advantaged today than they have been at any point in the last 35 years and come from families with a median income 60 percent higher than the national average. The financial gap in postsecondary education participation is widening. (source: The American Freshman - Forty Year Trends by UCLA)

Dual enrollment programs are designed to give students greater opportunities to complete high school with adequate preparation for college and careers. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, for every 100 9th graders in Pennsylvania in 2002:

  • 77 graduated on time from high school
  • 47 immediately enrolled in college after graduation
  • 37 returned for their sophomore year in college
  • 28 graduated from college with an associates degree within 3 years or a bachelor’s degree within 6 years

In order for Pennsylvania to remain competitive our global economy, we must to start to aggressively address these problems. The dual enrollment program is a key strategy in this effort.

In Pennsylvania, dual enrollment is for the capable, not just the exceptional student. Students who can demonstrate the skills that are needed to succeed in a non-remedial college course are the target population for Pennsylvania’s Dual Enrollment Grant Program. A successful local dual enrollment program will increase the rigor of the high school experience for students as well as invite a broader range of students to think of themselves as “college material.” Dual enrollment will help to introduce more students to the advantages of postsecondary education and will help students have a more successful transition into the culture and expectations that are present in postsecondary institutions.

The Dual Enrollment Grant Program enables districts and Career and Technology Centers (“school entities”) to receive funds to offset the cost of postsecondary coursework completed under an approved dual enrollment program. Dual enrollment grants will cover tuition, books, fees, and transportation.

Districts that send students to established Early College High Schools, Middle College High Schools, and Gateway to College Programs are eligible to receive funding under this grant as well. These programs serve at-risk students starting as early as ninth grade who are not succeeding in traditional high school. They allow the student to earn a high school diploma and earn substantial college credit, often by taking all of their credits on a college campus.

The local programs are run through partnerships between school entities and eligible postsecondary institutions. An eligible postsecondary institution is a nonprofit two-year or four-year public or private college or university or an eligible private licensed school approved to operate in Pennsylvania that is authorized to confer the degree of Associate in Specialized Technology or Associate in Specialized Business degree. Community colleges, members of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, state-related universities and private, nonprofit four-year colleges and universities are all eligible partners.


II. General Requirements for Participating Districts

A school entity wishing to apply for funds under this grant program must fulfill the following requirements.

  • Establish a dual enrollment committee and update its membership annuallyApprove a Concurrent Enrollment
  •  Agreement and update the agreement annually
  • Provide written notice of the of the availability of the dual enrollment program to the following agencies no later
  • than 90 days prior to submitting a dual enrollment application:
    1. Any nonpublic or private school for which the school entity provides free transportation.
    2. Any charter school approved to operate within the school district.
    3. The parents of students enrolled in a home education program.

Schools and districts can find promotional materials in the dual enrollment section of the www.project720.org website.

  • Agree to submit regular program reports as required by the Department
  • Submit all application materials to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by the
  • deadline

Grant Application deadlines

The application deadline for the 2008-09 school year is February 15, 2008. In addition, an informational webinar will be held on January 11, 2008, from 10-11 am. Check www.project720.org for more updates.

Committee

Prior to submitting its grant application, a school entity must establish a Dual Enrollment Committee. The purpose of this committee is to develop a dual enrollment program as well as to support, review, and recommend changes for this program. This committee shall include no less than six members as follows:

  • At least four members shall be appointed by the board of school directors of the school entity and shall include:
    • A parent of an enrolled high school student
    • A teacher employed by the school entity and selected by the teachers of the school entity
    • An administrator employed by the school entity and selected by the superintendent
    • A member of the board of school directors of the school entity, who shall be committee chairman
    • At least two members shall be appointed by each eligible participating accredited Pennsylvania postsecondary institution participating in the concurrent enrollment program
    • At least one shall be a faculty member in a department with approved dual enrollment courses

Note: If the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement involves more than three postsecondary institutions, each postsecondary institution shall appoint one, rather than two, committee members.

The number of committee members from postsecondary institutions shall not exceed the number of committee members from the school entity, and therefore, it may be necessary for a school entity to increase its number of representatives on the committee. If a Concurrent Enrollment Agreement involves more than one district, the above ratios must be maintained to ensure proper representation from all sectors.

The duties of the committee shall include the following:

    • Develop a proposed Concurrent Enrollment Agreement with each postsecondary institution partner
    • Present and gain the approval for the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement(s) from the board of school directors
    • Meet no less than quarterly to review the program
    • Recommend programmatic changes to the board of school directors
    • Develop alternate criteria for students who do not qualify under the standard criteria set forth in the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement
    • Collect and evaluate programmatic information and results such as grades awarded, credits earned, and graduation rates.

The Department of Education also recommends that the committee:

              • Make recommendations for supplemental supports that are needed for students to succeed in the dual enrollment program and pursue a postsecondary education
              • Make recommendations for increased alignment for curriculum and assessment across secondary and postsecondary
              • Create a system to track dual enrollment students through the first 2 years of post-secondary education including, remediation and retention

 

Concurrent Enrollment Agreements

In order to apply for funding, a school district must have a Concurrent Enrollment Agreement in place with each eligible postsecondary institution that will offer dual enrollment classes. The board of school directors in the participating district, as well as the participating eligible postsecondary institution(s) must approve this agreement. A model Concurrent Enrollment Agreement is included as Appendix A. The agreement shall, at a minimum, include the following:

  • A ratification or modification of all existing Concurrent or Dual Enrollment Agreements
  • An explanation of the criteria used to determine student qualification for dual enrollment, which shall include all of the following
    • Postsecondary placement scores
    • Results of nationally available achievement tests or other tests included in the school entity’s local assessment system
    • Satisfactory progress towards fulfilling applicable high school graduation requirements
    • Demonstrated readiness for college-level coursework
    • Status as a high school junior or senior
    • Alternate criteria used to determine student eligibility
  • A description and explanation of criteria used to determine eligible dual enrollment courses, including:
    • The course must be non-remedial
    • The course must be offered in a core academic subject as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which means that it can be in any of the following subjects: English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civic and government, economics, arts, history and geography (postsecondary courses such as psychology and sociology are allowable as a social science)
    • The course must be identical to that offered to postsecondary students when secondary students are not enrolled, including the use of an identical curriculum, assessments and instructional materials
    • The course must enforce prerequisite coursework requirements in the same manner as when secondary students are not enrolled
    • The course must be taught by a faculty member of the participating postsecondary institution or a professional employee of the school entity who, at minimum, meets the participating postsecondary institution’s qualifications for adjunct faculty members. The professional employee must be approved as an adjunct faculty member by the participating postsecondary institution.
  • The number of students to be enrolled in established early college high school, middle college high school, and gateway to college programs
  • A list of dual enrollment courses offered, including the following information for each course:
    • The number of students to be enrolled
    • The number of low-income students to be enrolled
    • The total approved cost per student
    • The cost of tuition, books, and fees for which a student will be responsible
    • An explanation of student transportation responsibilities – not to include students driving a personal vehicle
  • A description of minimum performance criteria required to continue in dual enrollment courses

 

The Department of Education reserves the right to disallow funding for a course for a number of reasons, including: 1) the course appears to be remedial in nature; 2) the course is designated as an Advanced Placement (AP) course; 3) it is unlikely that the course will be transferable toward a postsecondary degree; 4) the course is not offered in a core academic subject as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and 5) the course does not meet one or more other requirements outlined in these guidelines or the Concurrent Enrollment Law. The Department will remove the course from the district’s application, and will inform the district of this action.

 

Reconciliation and Final report

Any school entity receiving grant funds must submit a mid-year report no later than January 15 of each academic year for which grant funds were received. Additionally, school entities receiving grant funds must submit a final report to PDE no later than June 30 following the academic year for which grant funds were received. School entities may find that it is necessary to collect information for the reports throughout the year. The reports will include the following information:

  1. Updates of all information that is requested as part of the application including:
    1. The eligible postsecondary institution or institutions with which the school entity has established a dual enrollment program
    2. The number of students participating in a dual enrollment program
    3. The number of students enrolled in early college high school, middle college high school, or gateway to college programs
    4. Approved courses offered through the program and the total approved cost for each course
  2. The total amount of grant funds received
  3. Completion results of dual enrollment students according to disaggregated categories
  4. The effect of grant funds on the size of the program
  5. Promotional efforts that have been undertaken
  6. Data on individual students and postsecondary institution partners
  7. Student academic results such as grades awarded, credits earned, and graduation rates

PDE may identify additional information to be included in mid-year and final reports.

III. Eligible Students

Any student enrolled in a school entity who meets the qualifications set forth in the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement may enroll in dual enrollment courses as part of a dual enrollment program. A student may not enroll in more than 24 postsecondary credits in any school year.

Any student residing in Pennsylvania who is enrolled in a charter school, a nonpublic school, a private school or a home education program shall be permitted to enroll in dual enrollment courses offered by the student’s school district of residence provided that the following requirements are met:

  1. The student meets the qualifications set forth in the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement
  2. The charter school, nonpublic school, private school or home education program agrees to award secondary credit for the successful completion of the dual enrollment The student notifies the course
  3. school district of residence of the intent to enroll in the dual enrollment program prior to the application for state funding

If a student is enrolled in a charter school, nonpublic school, private school or home education program and the student’s school district of residence does not participate in a dual enrollment program, then the student is not eligible for funding under this program.

Districts and CTCs are highly encouraged to enroll students who would not typically take advantage of dual enrollment courses, including students who: 1) are from low-income backgrounds; 2) would be the first generation in their family to attend college; and 3) meet the requirements set forth in the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement, but are not considered “exceptional” students. The Department may choose to audit the participation rates of these students in particular districts/CTCs to better understand participation trends of this important population of students.

Districts/CTCs should also provide ongoing guidance and support to participating students as they take dual enrollment courses, to ensure their full participation and success.

IV. Grants for Dual Enrollment

The following are approved costs for the dual enrollment program:

  • Allowable tuition
  • Books
  • Fees
  • Allowable transportation provided by the school entity as set forth in the Concurrent Enrollment Agreement.
  • There are no other eligible uses for this grant funding.

Allowable Tuition in the Approved Cost:
The school district and postsecondary institution will agree on an approved cost for each course in their Concurrent Enrollment Agreement including allowable tuition, fees, books, and transportation. The allowable tuition is that which is charged to the school entity for each course, which cannot exceed:

  1. For any two-year institution or eligible private licensed school:
  2. The advertised tuition rate charged by the institution for enrolled students.
  3. For any four-year public or private institution or eligible private licensed school:
    • The tuition charged by the State System of Higher Education for enrolled students.
      • For the 2007-2008 school year, this amount is $216 per credit for students enrolled in under 12 credits. Most core classes (excluding those that offer a laboratory) are 3 credit courses. For a 3-credit course, this is $648 per course in 2007-08. (Please note: the maximum of $216 per credit may change in Spring 2008. This amount will be based on the rate established by Pennsylvania State System for Higher Education (PASSHE) at that time.)

Source: http://www.passhe.edu/content/?/office/finance/budget/tuition

  1. For any higher education institution that offered dual enrollment credit prior to this program:
    • The tuition rate charged to students under the previous program.
  2. For any early college high school program, middle college high school program or gateway to college program:
    • The tuition charged for the entire program to a student’s school district of residence.

Funding Formula:
The Concurrent Enrollment law outlines the dual enrollment funding formula. In this formula, funding is provided to every school district that applies; if demand is greater than available funds, each applicant receives a portion of what they applied for. In the 2007-08 year, over $22 million in dual enrollment funds were requested, while only $10 million was available. As a result, each district’s/CTC’s grant was reduced (or prorated) to meet the Department’s spending limitation.

The total funding amount available for the 2008-09 program is dependant on the passing of the state budget. Therefore, the funding amounts outlined below reflect current funding levels for the 2007-08 school year.

The funding to be awarded to each eligible school entity is to be determined as follows:

  School entity’s market value/income aid ratio
 +0.425
Subtotal
 XSum of total approved costs for each of the school entity’s dual enrollment students
  
TOTAL ELIGIBLE GRANT AWARD
 =
[For example: a school with an aid ratio of .495 and total approved costs of $10,000 would have a total eligible grant award of (.495 + .425) X $10,000 = $9,200.]


 

Supplemental grants:
Supplemental grants are available to any school entity that has applied for grant funds and has at least one low-income dual enrollment student. The supplemental grant will equal the cost of tuition, books and fees for which low-income dual enrollment students are responsible in order to enroll in a dual enrollment course. For the 2007-08 school year, $2.2 million is targeted to support low-income students.

For the purpose of this program, a low-income student is a member of a household with an annual household income less than or equal to 150% of the federal income poverty guidelines. Based on the 2007 poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the following thresholds will be used to determine eligibility for supplemental grants.

Persons in family unitAnnual Family Income 

For family units with more than 8 persons,
add $5,220 for each additional person.

1$ 15,315
220,535
325,755
430,975
536,195
641,415
746,635
851,885

Source:   http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/07poverty.shtml

Grant Limitations:

The following limitations apply to the Dual Enrollment Grant Program:

        • The grant funding for a dual enrollment course may not exceed the total approved costs. In 2007-08, $10 million is set aside for the Dual Enrollment program. 
        • Based on appropriated funds of $10 million, the budget for 2007-08 provides $6.6 million for regular dual enrollment for students enrolled in district high schools and Career and Technology Centers (CTCs).
        • Grants for Early College high school, Middle College high school, and Gateway to College Programs shall equal 6% of the total funds appropriated for all dual enrollment programs. Based on appropriated funds of $10 million, the funding level for Early College High School, Middle College High School and Gateway to College Programs will be $600,000 for the 2007-08 school year.
        • Grants provided on behalf of dual enrollment students who are enrolled in charter schools, nonpublic schools, private schools or home education programs shall equal 6% of the total funds appropriated for all dual enrollment programs. Based on appropriated funds of $10 million, the available funding for charter school, nonpublic school, private school and home educated students will be $600,000 for the 2006-07 school year.
        • Supplemental grants shall equal 22% of the total funds appropriated for all dual enrollment programs. Based on appropriated funds of $10 million, the funding for supplemental grants will be $2.2 million. If the funds available for supplemental grants are insufficient to meet the total amounts appropriately applied for, each supplemental grant shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.
        • Likewise, if the total funds appropriated for this program are insufficient to meet the total amounts appropriately applied for, each grant shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.

A school entity shall not be responsible for the payment of any portion of the total approved costs for any dual enrollment student enrolled in a charter school, nonpublic school, private school or home education program above and beyond the grants provided from the state.

Payments of grants to school entities will be made based on the following schedule:

  • January Payment - 50% of grant award
  • June Payment - Final amount of grant after mid-year reconciliation report is submitted

V.  Early College High School, Middle College High School, and Gateway to College Programs

These three programs offer specific groups of students the opportunity to take advantage of a more comprehensive dual enrollment opportunity.  For more information on these programs go to Jobs of the Future website at http://www.jff.org/.

Early College High School – A dual enrollment program offered at a high school over a five-year to six-year period, which consists of a structured sequence of secondary and postsecondary coursework.  The successful completion of this program yields both a high school diploma and postsecondary credits equivalent to an associate of arts degree or sufficient to enter a Bachelor of Arts program as a junior. 

Middle College High School – A dual enrollment program located on the campus of a postsecondary institution offering secondary and postsecondary coursework.  The successful completion of the program yields a high school diploma and postsecondary credits. 

Gateway to College – A dual enrollment program that offers eligible participants postsecondary coursework aligned to State academic standards that allows the student to complete a high school diploma by taking college courses on a college campus.  The successful completion of the program yields a high school diploma and postsecondary credits.

Early College High School, Middle College High School and Gateway to College applicants are subject to all provisions of the Concurrent Enrollment Law, pertaining to the creation of concurrent enrollment agreements, the establishment of dual enrollment committees, the provision of courses for secondary and postsecondary credit, and other areas outlined in the law.  Only students who are enrolled in a program that will yield a high school diploma and postsecondary credit may receive funding under this program.

Please contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education at the contact information below if your school or district is interested in applying to receive funds for the first time in any of these categories.

VI. Credit for Dual Enrollment courses

Secondary Credit:
Secondary (High School) credit must be awarded to students for the successful completion of dual enrollment courses. These credits shall be identified as credits earned through an eligible postsecondary institution on a dual enrollment student’s official secondary transcript.

  1. Dual enrollment credits shall be recognized as applying towards graduation requirements when a student transfers to a new school entity
  2. Dual enrollment credits may be recognized as applying towards graduation requirements when a student transfers to a charter school, a nonpublic school, a private school, or a home education program.
  3. Eligible courses are those that are completed by June 30th of the grant year.

Postsecondary Credit:
One of the goals of dual enrollment is to allow students to formally enroll in a postsecondary institution following high school graduation having already accumulated postsecondary credits.

  1. If, after graduation from a secondary school, a dual enrollment student enrolls in the postsecondary institution from which the student earned dual credits, that institution must award postsecondary credit for any successfully completed dual enrollment courses.
  2. If the student enrolls in a community college, member institution of the State System of Higher Education or a State-related institution, that institution may not refuse to recognize and award credit for a concurrent course because the credit was earned through a dual enrollment program.
  3. Institutions not covered above may choose to award postsecondary credit for the concurrent coursework.

VII. Program Contact Information

Dr. Wendy Reisinger
Bureau of Teaching and Learning Support
333 Market Street, 8th floor
Harrisburg, PA  17126-0333
Phone: (717) 783-4799
wereisinge@state.pa.us

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