Members of the state House of Representatives will vote on a bill today “intended to provide sustainability” to the state’s dual enrollment program for high school students taking college courses.
According to Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta), sponsor of HB 444, the state spent $23 million on the dual enrollment program in 2015, but saw the price tag increase to $78.8 million in fiscal year 2018 for tuition, fees and books. The number of students in the program has skyrocketed in recent years, from about 11,484 during fiscal year 2013 to 35,862 in fiscal year 2017, a 212 percent increase.
“Tweaks are necessary to help create a cost savings,” Reeves told members of the House Rules Committee Wednesday. “This has been a good program for Georgia students, and we want to keep it going. This is about sustainability.”
The bill would limit the number of credit hours the state would fund under the dual enrollment program to 30 per student. However, students could still pull from HOPE funds, if they choose to fund other dual enrollment classes. HOPE funding will cover a total 127 course hours total per student while in college. This allows for a total of 157 credit hours between the two buckets of funding — enough credit hours for a college major, if the appropriate courses are taken, Reeves said.
Students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades would be eligible for dual credit classes at a state technical college under the new bill. Students in the 11th and12th grade would be eligible for dual credit classes through the University System of Georgia.
Rep. David Knight (R-Griffin) reminded House members that dual enrollment was designed to make sure students “got a head start on a career path. Haven’t we seen a problem that has gotten out of hand?”
Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta) stated that prior to dual enrollment and Move on When Ready, HOPE covered 127 credit hours for eligible students. “With this bill, a student still gets the 127 credit hours through HOPE and another 30 hours.”
