DUAL ENROLLMENT
According to 506 Policies for Dual Enrollment and Awarding Dual Credit, dual enrollment in Delaware offers high school students the opportunity to receive both high school and postsecondary credit upon successfully completing college-level courses. Course offerings take place in a variety of settings, such as in a high school, on a college campus, or through distance learning courses online.
To ensure that college courses offered to high school students are as rigorous as traditional college courses, state policy mandates that dual enrollment partners develop an articulation agreement that provides high standards for course quality. Whether dual-credit courses are taught within a high school or on a college campus, all instructors must meet the minimum standards for adjunct faculty at the partnering community college. In addition, these agreements also define programmatic elements regarding student eligibility, course content, grading and attendance policies, and the manner in which students demonstrate their readiness to participate in college-level courses.
Delaware’s finance system for supporting dual enrollment is not clearly defined in state policy. Tuition for dual enrollment courses may be paid for by grant funding, waivers, or by students and their families; however, the state does not identify consistent streams of financial support, despite state policy stating, “No student shall be denied access to dual credit or dual enrollment courses because of the student’s or family’s inability to pay.” Policy also does not articulate a reimbursement scheme for the per-pupil expenses incurred by colleges and secondary institutions offering dual-credit courses.
A Dual Enrollment Subcommittee of the Delaware Department of Education’s P-20 Council was created as part of a 2006 National Governors Association grant to redesign Delaware high schools. The subcommittee met six times in the course of the 2006-07 school year and published a final report in October 2007 that enumerates a list of “guiding principles.” Though the Dual Enrollment Subcommittee outlined a number of recommendations to improve state policies to support dual enrollment implementation, it is unclear if any have been adopted.
States should broaden eligibility requirements to permit students to participate in credit-bearing, college-level courses based on proficiency in those subjects even if they are not proficient in others. Student eligibility should also be jointly determined by secondary and postsecondary and use multiple measures: a combination of tests, end-of-course grades, teacher recommendations, and students’ work portfolios.
POLICY ELEMENT: Eligibility requirements are determined by the secondary and postsecondary sectors together.
Not in Evidence
Postsecondary institutions determine eligibility requirements for concurrent enrollment programs.
POLICY ELEMENT: High school students can participate in college courses based on their proficiency in those subjects, even if they are not proficient in others.
Not in Evidence
Students have to meet college admission standards for non remedial courses in all subject areas. More specifically, high school students need to meet minimum standards for state system institutions based upon scores on the ACT/SAT or a high school GPA of 3.0/4.0 and class rank.
POLICY ELEMENT: Eligibility is determined by a combination of tests, end-of-course grades, teacher recommendations, and student academic work.
In Evidence
Eligibility criteria provide multiple ways for students to become eligible for dual enrollment. For example, if students are unable to meet the minimum score on the ACT/SAT, they can still qualify for concurrent enrollment based on GPA and class rank.
POLICY ELEMENT: Eligibility requirements are determined by the secondary and postsecondary sectors together.
In Evidence
To offer dual enrollment opportunities to high school students, secondary and postsecondary institutions must form an articulation agreement that includes minimum eligibility requirements for enrollment.
POLICY ELEMENT: High school students can participate in college courses based on their proficiency in those subjects, even if they are not proficient in others.
Not in Evidence
Policy leaves course prerequisites and eligibility requirements to the provisions of articulation agreements.
POLICY ELEMENT: Eligibility is determined by a combination of tests, end-of-course grades, teacher recommendations, and students’ work.
In Evidence
Student eligibility and participation requirements should be based on multiple indicators of readiness such as, but not limited to, a combination of tests, course grades, teacher recommendations, or portfolios.
States should ensure that college courses offered to high school students use the same syllabi and exams as comparable courses taught on a college campus, and that dual enrollees can receive dual-credit so they earn both high school and college credits upon successfully completing courses. In addition, the postsecondary institution conferring credit should set the qualifications for faculty teaching dual-credit courses.
POLICY ELEMENT: Students have the opportunity to take college courses for dual credit so they earn both high school and college credits upon successfully completing courses.
In Evidence
Statute defines dual enrollment courses as a course in which dually enrolled students receive both high school credit toward graduation and postsecondary credit.
POLICY ELEMENT: College courses offered within secondary schools use the same syllabus and exams as comparable courses taught on a college campus.
In Evidence
Delaware requires that college-level courses taken for dual credit must meet the same level of rigor and academic requirements as courses sponsored by the partnering postsecondary institution as outlined in the dual enrollment articulation agreement.
POLICY ELEMENT: The postsecondary institution conferring credit sets the qualifications for faculty teaching courses taken for dual credit.
In Evidence
Dual enrollment instructors in the state must meet the requirements of a faculty member or adjunct faculty member at the accredited postsecondary institution at which college credit is conferred.
States should develop funding policies that allow high school students to take college courses free of tuition and non-course-related charges, and that allow both districts and postsecondary institutions to claim per-pupil funding allocations to support the cost of offering college courses for dual-credit. There should also be provisions or special appropriations to support the development of early college schools targeting students who are underrepresented in higher education.
POLICY ELEMENT: Funding policies to support dual enrollment in the state create incentives for school districts to partner with institutions of higher education to offer dual credit opportunities for students.
Not in Evidence
Delaware does not have a policy to reimburse K-12 or postsecondary institutions for the costs of serving dual enrollees.
POLICY ELEMENT: Funding policies for dual enrollment support access for low-income high school students who are interested in taking college courses.
Not In Evidence
Policy states, “Funding sources such as Tech Prep, College Board waivers or other grants shall be identified as well as the procedures for applying and the procedures for the awarding of such funds or waivers. No student shall be denied access to dual credit or dual enrollment courses because of the student’s or family’s inability to pay.” However, there are no dedicated public funds to support college course-taking for high school students.
POLICY ELEMENT: Funding streams are flexible enough that funds can be used for professional development, books, lab fees, and student transportation.
Not in Evidence
There are no provisions in policy that allow for public funding to be used to pay non-course-related costs in dual enrollment programs.
States should report annually on dual enrollment participation and impact and develop administrative structures to support program leaders and dual enrollment partnerships. States should also designate a state board or governing body as having the authority and responsibility to guide dual enrollment policy.
POLICY ELEMENT: States should designate a state board or governing body as having the authority and responsibility to guide dual enrollment policy, and develop an administrative structure to provide support to program leaders and dual enrollment partners.
In Evidence
The Dual Enrollment Subcommittee, which is a part of Delaware’s P-20 Council, is not defined in regulation or statute, but it does contain representation from both secondary and postsecondary sectors. In addition, the committee is charged with providing support and developing state policies for dual enrollment programming.
POLICY ELEMENT: States should report annually on dual enrollment participation and impact.
Not in Evidence
The state does not have a policy on dual enrollment reporting.
States should develop unit-record statewide data systems that identify dual enrollees by demographic characteristics and monitor student progress longitudinally across the K-12 and higher education systems.
POLICY ELEMENT: States should develop a unit-record statewide data system that identifies dual enrollees by demographic characteristics and monitor student progress longitudinally across the K-12 and higher education systems.
In Evidence
Delaware’s data tracking policies are capable of tracking the progress of dual enrollment students through college.
States should require that districts and postsecondary institutions specify and document key roles and responsibilities in memoranda of understanding or cooperative agreements, including the provision of a college liaison for student advisement and support. States should also provide support and funding for programs designed to serve students who are over-age and undercredited, as well as youth who have dropped out of high school.
POLICY ELEMENT: States should require that districts and postsecondary institutions specify and document key roles and responsibilities in a memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement.
In Evidence
An articulation agreement between secondary and postsecondary partners defines several dual enrollment program elements, including student eligibility, course syllabus, expected course competencies, and grading policy.
POLICY ELEMENT: States should require each dual enrollment partnership to provide a liaison between high school and college partners, with responsibilities for advising students, assisting with course scheduling, and linking students to support services.
Not in Evidence
The state neither requires nor supports partnerships to provide a liaison.