State Legislation Tracker
CHSA is pleased to make available a tracker, which will updated approximately every two weeks, compiling bills and regulatory actions impacting college in high school programs such as dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and early college high school across the country.
The tracker includes information and links to the bills, current status, a brief summary, and how each bill or action could be categorized according to CHSA’s Unlocking Potential framework for policy for college in high school programs.
If you have any questions about the tracker, please contact us. This tracker is maintained by Foresight Law + Policy.
NEW!!! 2021 Year in Review - Summary of new laws and trends in 2021
2020 Year in Review - Summary of new laws and trends in 2020
Updated June 8, 2022
Legislative Updates
The following bills were introduced:
- California AB2058 - This bill relates to the administration of the Golden State Pathways Program, a competitive subgrant program as part of the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program. To be eligible, an LEA must meet certain requirements, including offering participants the opportunity to prepare for postsecondary enrollment and earn postsecondary credits, through dual enrollment opportunities, and providing for system alignment, coherence, and articulation documented through formal written agreements allowing for dual enrollment opportunities.
- Massachusetts H4802 - This bill requires the department of elementary and secondary education to file a report on the policies and procedures necessary to support inclusion of students enrolled in early college and innovation pathways in the foundation enrollments used to calculate foundation budgets pursuant to the school aid statute for fiscal year 2024.
The following bills had significant status updates:
- California AB1705 – Passed Assembly - This bill would require a community college district or community college to maximize the probability that students will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and mathematics within a 1-year timeframe of their initial attempt in the discipline. The bill would provide for some exceptions to transfer-level placement and enrollment into mathematics and English coursework, including current high school students in dual enrollment or taking courses not available in their local high school.
- California AB2617 – Passed Assembly - Existing law authorizes governing boards of community college districts to enter into College and Career Access Pathways partnerships with school districts or charter schools in order to develop seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness. This law is valid until January 1, 2027. This bill would require the State Department of Education and office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to identify best practices for CCAP partnerships and appropriate financial incentives for school districts and community college districts to participate in these partnerships. The goal of this shall be to encourage more participation, thereby increasing access to dual enrollment opportunities for pupils who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education.
- California SB1351 – Passed Senate - This bill creates the California Youth Apprenticeship Program. Declarations of the legislature within this bill state that the state plans to create a career connected learning system, a goal of which is to support youth in career exploration, career preparation, and career acceleration through dual enrollment.
- Colorado HB22-1215 – Sent to Governor to sign - This bill establishes the early college policy development task force to design and recommend policies and changes to law to support the statewide development of and funding for early college programs and p-tech schools.
- Connecticut SB105 – Signed by the Governor - This bill amends existing law and would define "program of higher learning" in statutes relating to postsecondary education to include "any course offered by dual enrollment."
- Florida HB5001 – Signed by the Governor - This appropriations bill would provide funding for the dual enrollment scholarship program to support public postsecondary institutions in providing dual enrollment courses. Funding is also provided for dual enrollment instructional materials.
- Florida SB2524 – Signed by the Governor - This bill amends dual enrollment laws - this bill requires instructional materials to be made available to all dual enrollment students free of charge. Postsecondary institutions are prohibited rom requiring payment for instructional materials costs eligible for reimbursement under existing statute. General amendments are also made to the dual enrollment scholarship program relating to private school and home education program students.
- Illinois HB3296 – Signed by the Governor - This bill requires school districts that enroll students in grades 6-12 to adopt and implement career exploration and career development activities in alignment with a postsecondary and career expectations framework. This bill provides that a school board of any district may opt out of implementation of this by considering the willingness of institutions of higher education to partner with school districts for successful implementation of the pathway and whether the district has sought and established a partnership agreement with a community college district incorporating the provisions of the Model Partnership Agreement under the Dual Credit Quality Act. This further requires consideration of the availability of properly licensed teachers or teachers meeting faculty credential standards for dual credit courses to instruct in the program required for the endorsement areas.
- Iowa HF2575 – Sent to Governor to sign - This bill provides an appropriation for payments to community colleges for the concurrent enrollment of accredited nonpublic school students.
- Louisiana HB333 – Signed by the Governor - This bill amends existing law and requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop advisement policies that would include informing and assisting students and their parents in the selection and scheduling of advanced courses and early college opportunities, such as dual enrollment.
- Louisiana HCR81 – Adopted by House and Senate, presented to Secretary of State - This bill amends existing law and requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop advisement policies that would include informing and assisting students and their parents in the selection and scheduling of advanced courses and early college opportunities, such as dual enrollment.
- Louisiana HR161 – Adopted by the House, presented to Secretary of State - This resolution requests that the Board of Regents, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, and public postsecondary institutions take certain actions to improve postsecondary education outcomes in the state - this includes urging and requesting the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance to extend state financial aid programs to college-ready dual enrollment students, local college tuition discounts for college-ready low-income dual enrollment students, and early high school graduation scholarships for those ready and willing to begin college a year early.
- Louisiana SB261 – Sent to Governor to sign - This bill requires the Board of Regents to develop, coordinate, and maintain transfer pathways for baccalaureate programs that are highly demanded across the state. This bill notes that credit for a course in a transfer pathway that is included in the statewide common course numbering system may be earned through accelerated programs such as dual enrollment.
- Michigan HB4953 – Signed by the Governor - This bill requires the department to develop or update, and make available to all districts, informational packets to be given by school officials to each pupil enrolled in any of grades 8-12 in the district. This informational packet must include information, disaggregated by prosperity region, regarding the location of school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies that choose to offer early/middle college programs that are available to students.
- New Hampshire SB421 – Passed House and Senate - This bill clarifies the time of payment and participation by nonpublic schools in the dual and concurrent enrollment program of the community college system of New Hampshire.
Note: Alaska, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, and Vermont are now adjourned.
Regulatory Updates
- Colorado - At the June 8, 2022 State Board meeting, the Board will be voting on approving the Colorado Early Colleges Online Campus Early College Designation and three grantees for the Concurrent Enrollment Expansion and Innovation Grant Program.
- Georgia - At the Georgia State Board May 2022 meeting, the State Board was asked to authorize the State School Superintendent to initiate rulemaking procedures to amend State Board of Education Rule 160-4-2-.34 Dual Enrollment. The Board Item document notes that, except for high school courses that have an associated End of Course assessment, the current Dual Enrollment Rule does not outline for Option B Students the requirements for specific core secondary courses, which has resulted in a gap in courses for Option B students.
- Indiana - The Indiana Department of Education has created a partnership between urban Indiana schools in order to increase students' access to postsecondary courses through the Early College High School Program - the Urban College Acceleration Network (UCAN). The model for this program uses existing Early College High Schools as mentors for partner schools and providing partner schools with guidance and support. Partner schools in this program will also have access to coaching and support for Early College coursework.
