DRAFT 5/7/2012 4:26 PM For a complete list of fact sheets, visit

www.mikejohnston.org/in-the-legislature.

Office of Sen. Mike Johnston Colorado General Assembly | 200 E. Colfax Avenue | Denver, CO 80203 | 303.866.4864

FACT SHEET MEMORANDUM HB 12-1043

Concurrent Enrollment for Early High School Grads Rep. Conti & Sen. King

Staff Name: Elisabeth Hutchinson What the Bill Does: In Colorado, every local education providers (LEP) must assist students and the student’s parent or guardian in developing an individual career and academic plan (ICAP) by the beginning of the ninth grade.1 Under HB 12-1043, the student’s teacher or counselor assisting with the ICAP must also advise the student, and inform the student’s parent or guardian by letter, of the benefits of and requirements for concurrent enrollment, which allows Colorado high school students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit for postsecondary courses taken at an institution of higher education.2 When a student completes graduation requirements early, and the student’s counselor or teacher assisting with the ICAP approves postsecondary courses for the student, the Bill also requires the student to notify the superintendent of the school district, or if the student attends a charter school or a school of BOCES, the chief school administrator. The administrator or superintendent may then authorize the student to enroll concurrently. Once authorized, the student may concurrently enroll full-time in postsecondary courses with an institution of higher education. The student’s LEP is required to pay a portion of the student’s tuition, and the institution of higher education may charge additional fees to be paid by the student or the student’s parent or guardian. Colorado Context: In 2009, Governor Ritter signed into law the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act, which makes concurrent enrollment open to all high school students who receive ICAP approval, meet application deadlines, and satisfy college course requirements.3 In 2010, 5,791 high school students across Colorado participated in the Concurrent Enrollment Program.4

1 C.R.S. §§ 22-32-109(1)(nn); 22-30.5-505(3)(f).

2 An institution of higher education, at which a student may concurrently enroll, includes: state colleges and

universities; community colleges; local district colleges, area vocational schools, and private colleges and universities that are accredited regionally, offer bachelor degrees and above, are authorized to operate by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and maintain a physical campus in Colorado. Colorado Department of Higher Education, Breakdown of Concurrent Enrollment Act (HB 09-1319), available at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdegen/downloads/DHEFactSheet.pdf (last accessed Apr. 13, 2012) 3 C.R.S. § 22‐35‐101, et seq. “The collective intent [behind the Act] is to broaden access to and improve the quality

of concurrent enrollment programs, improve coordination between institutions of secondary education and institutions of higher education, and ensure financial transparency and accountability.” Colorado Department of

DRAFT 5/7/2012 4:26 PM For a complete list of fact sheets, visit

www.mikejohnston.org/in-the-legislature.

National Context: As of 2006, 47 states allowed for concurrent enrollment in their statutes, but concurrent enrollment can have two meanings: either that the students can take college-credit courses in high schools, or it can mean that students take courses at community colleges or state universities while still in high school.5 For example, Utah allows for concurrent enrollment, but not for students who have received their high school diploma. Thus, concurrent enrollment in the state is specifically reserved for students who have not earned all their high school graduation credits.6 In contrast, New Mexico provides for three options for high school students who are graduating early or who want to start taking college courses in high school: (1) students may apply for regular degree status; (2) students who are currently enrolled in a state high school may take classes for college credits as long as the student has parental permission and meets specified GPA requirements; or (3) students can take courses at New Mexico State University and receive high school and college credit simultaneously.7 Bill Provisions:

The teacher or counselor assisting with the ICAP must advise the student, and inform the student’s parent or guardian by letter, of the benefits of and requirements for concurrent enrollment

If the student or the student’s parent or guardian demonstrates interest in concurrent enrollment, counselor or teacher must assist with course planning to enable concurrent enrollment

When a student completes the graduation requirements early, and receives ICAP approval: o The student notifies the superintendent (SI) of the school district, or if the student attends a

charter school or a school of BOCES, the chief school administrator o The SI or school administrator may authorize the student to enroll concurrently

For a student to enroll there, the institution of higher education must have a cooperative agreement with the LEP, or if no cooperative agreement exists, the LEP must enter into such an agreement

During the student’s concurrent enrollment, the LEP must pay a portion of the student’s tuition

The institution of higher education may charge the student additional fees to be paid by the student or the student’s parent or guardian

Fiscal Impact: HB 12-1043 moves money from LEPs to institutions of higher education, because it requires LEPs to pay a portion of their per-pupil revenue to pay for a portion of the student’s postsecondary tuition.8 However, this “does not change the number of students counted for enrollment purposes under the school finance act,” and does not impact program funding.9

Education, HB 09-1319 and SB 09-285 Fact Sheet: The Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act of 2009 (Jan. 5, 2009), available at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdegen/downloads/ConcurrentEnrollmentFactSheet%20.pdf. 4 Colorado Department of Higher Education, Division of Academic Affairs, Research, and Technology, High School

Concurrent Enrollment Programs, http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Reports/Enrollment/ FY2011/201011_Concurrent_Summary.pdf (last visited Apr. 13, 2012). 5 Carl Krueger, Dual Enrollment: Policy Issues Confronting State Policymakers, EDUCATION COMMISSION OF THE STATES

(Mar. 2006), http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/67/87/6787.pdf. 6 See Utah System of Higher Education, Utah State Board of Regents Policy and Procedures - R165 Concurrent

Enrollment (Nov. 18, 2011) http://higheredutah.org/sbr/policy/pdf/R165.pdf. 7 See Regents of New Mexico State University, H.S. Dual Enrollment, http://nmsua.edu/admissions/high-school-

dual-enrollment/ (last visited Apr. 13, 2012). 8 Josh Abram, Fiscal Note: HB 12-1043 (Mar. 27, 2012), http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2012a/csl.nsf/

fsbillcont3/E62B63499128E95387257981007DC5F7?Open&file=HB1043_r2.pdf 9 Id.