| An online magazine dedicated to sharing best practices and providing in-depth coverage of issues and trends affecting the Washington State community and technical college system. |
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| July 2005 Edition 2 |
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Creating Opportunities through dual enrollment programs |
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by Erin Brown, Communications Specialist |
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Main Story |
When it comes to creating opportunities for high school students to get a head start on a college education, Washington state is a national leader. In 1990, the Washington state Legislature took a visionary approach by adopting the parent and student “Learning by Choice” Act, which gives high school students the option of taking college courses, and earning high school and college credit simultaneously. Through this law, Washington state developed programs such as Running Start, Tech Prep and College in the High School, as well as many additional programs focused on high school completion and advanced placement. Fifteen years later, these programs are changing the face of education in Washington by blurring the lines between high school and college. “Dual enrollment programs offer students the opportunity to enhance their high school experience,” stated Sally Zeiger Hanson, State Board for Community and Technical College’s assistant director of education services. By participating in dual enrollment programs, high school students get an initial exposure to college-level coursework, while still being supported by their high schools. The programs can help demystify the college experience and build a student’s confidence in his or her ability to succeed in college, said Zeiger Hanson. “This is especially important for those students who may be the first in their family to attend college,” she said. Greater demand for dual enrollment programs Research shows that dual enrollment programs are becoming increasingly popular with students. The National Governors’ Association conducted a nationwide poll of 10,000 teenagers ages 16 to 18 years old, as part of their effort to encourage states to improve high schools. This poll included both students in high school and those who had dropped out. According to the results published in the July 18 issue of Inside Higher Ed, when students were asked how to make the senior year of high school more meaningful, 65 percent of them answered they would like to learn more about colleges during their senior year, and 64 percent said that they wanted to take college courses for credit while in high school. In Washington state, these numbers ring true. Participation in dual enrollment programs has increased steadily each year as more students take advantage of the options. “Dual enrollment programs enhance our community and technical college system mission of increasing access,” said Dr. Jean Hernandez, executive vice president for student learning at Cascadia Community College. “They get students excited about pursuing their college education.” Running Start Out of the three dual enrollment programs, Running Start serves the most students. Running Start offers qualified high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take college-level courses on a college campus or via online instruction. Once enrolled, students can take up to 90 credits or six quarters, which may be used toward a certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree. Though funded by the state on a per-college-credit-basis, students are responsible for the cost of transportation, books and any college fees. “Running Start is a good option for high-excelling students, because it gives them the experience of a college campus early in their educational career,” said Community Colleges of Spokane Chancellor Dr. Gary Livingston. “At CCS, we were proud to have 70 Running Start students earn their high school diploma and their associate degree at graduation time.” College in the High School Other dual enrollment programs are being expanded with the hopes of capitalizing on efficiencies achieved by Running Start. Currently, there is growing emphasis on programs such as College in the High School, which is similar to the Running Start program in its benefits to students, but keeps the student on the high school campus and the funding in the school district. College in the High School creates opportunities for students in remote areas of the state where a college campus might not be readily accessible, said Vee Sutherlin, Community Colleges of Spokane director of school and college relations. The program allows for credentialed high school instructors to teach college-level courses. Students earn college credit, but remain on the high school campus and participate in high school activities. The program costs are shared by the high school and students. One of the benefits of the College in the High School program is the value of bringing teachers from K-12 and higher education together. This ensures that high school teachers have the information needed to better prepare their students for the transition from high school to college. Dr. Kyra Kester, special assistant for industry partnerships for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, said high schools are willing to help with teacher training costs in order to provide additional opportunities for students. She added that similar programs have had great success in other states. In Washington there is pressure to create a standardized funding model and to develop statewide guidelines for the program. “Though Washington state is leading the conversation nationally on Running Start, College in the High School is another valuable pathway for our students to access higher education,” Kester said. “A successful dual enrollment program includes a good blend of both.” Under the umbrella of the two-year college’s instruction commission, a dual enrollment work group is focusing on streamlining guidelines and setting the framework for new and existing programs within the two-year college system. “The task force on dual enrollment programs is working to bring high schools and colleges together to address strategies for improving student readiness and transition from high school to college,” stated Hernandez. “The guidelines are the first building block for a successful program.” Tech prep Tech Prep offers students planned career pathways that link high school classes to advanced technical education at colleges. Programs are offered on the high school campus in partnership with local two-year colleges and businesses to create pathways leading to either a two-year college degree or certificate. Funded by the federal government through the Carl D. Perkins Act, the Tech Prep program is beneficial to students because it makes available to them specialized courses that might not be offered through their high school – such as lab-intensive courses or those in need of regular updating, like information or automotive technology. The community and technical colleges are ideal partners for this program, stated Spokane’s Chancellor Livingston, who pushed for more support for technical education during his tenure as a school superintendent in the 1990s. “Tech Prep programs fit well with our state’s economic development plan,” he explained. “These programs benefit students who have a high interest in career and technical education and training.” One of the major challenges of Tech Prep is in making sure articulation agreements are in place so that credits transfer beyond the two-year college system, stated SBCTC Tech Prep Program Administrator Tiffany Merkel-Rinke. “Professional technical faculty and administrators are working with 4-year colleges and universities to ensure that all our technical students won’t ‘dead end’ when they complete their degree,” said Merkel-Rinke. Currently, funding for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act is up for reauthorization in Congress. Building the foundation through partnership and communication Washington state is above the curve when it comes to dual enrollment programs, but is confronted with some challenges ahead, stated SBCTC Executive Director Earl Hale. The superintendent of public instruction, the community and technical college system, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Council of Presidents are all partners in shaping how the educational system will look in the future. “Building the foundation for our students is the number one responsibility of our educational leaders,” agreed OSPI’s Kester. “The handwriting is on the wall that none of us are in this alone.” Policy makers from each sector of the educational system are working together to ensure dual enrollment programs are efficient and equitable so all students can have access, regardless of their economic backgrounds. The conversation is riddled with challenges around sustainable funding, credit transferability, expanding access, and graduation and college entrance standards. “For these programs to be successful, relationships across the educational system must be built on communication and mutual trust,” expressed Spokane’s Chancellor Livingston. “Students need to know what are the benefits and costs upfront, and institutions need to collaborate to ensure the pathways students take translate statewide. We need to create pathways for students, like in education or engineering, and give them the framework to get them there.” What remains to be seen is how dual enrollment programs will change the high school experience for students in the future. Educational leaders across the nation grapple with questions about the traditional structure of the K-12 educational system and whether dual enrollment programs will gradually result in a blending of the last two years of high school with the first two years of college.
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