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:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

A program is set up under an agreement between a postsecondary institution and a local education agency. The agreement includes the terms and conditions imposed on the program by the state board of education and the board in charge of the postsecondary institution.

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:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Tennessee code does not specify whether students must demonstrate readiness in all subject areas or only in those subjects in which they plan to enroll in college-level courses, though the Dual Enrollment program's GPA requirement is not subject specific.

POLICY ELEMENT: Eligibility is determined by a combination of tests, end-of-course grades, teacher recommendations, and student academic work.

In Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Students in eleventh and twelfth grade can enroll in a postsecondary institution after consultation with the board of regents and the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees. Students in ninth and tenth grade can enroll in college courses if they receive permission from the high school principal and have a cumulative 3.2 GPA in high school coursework.

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:

Dual Enrollment Program

Students can simultaneously earn high school and college credit through the state’s dual-credit and dual enrollment programs.

Not in Evidence:

Joint Enrollment Program

Students enrolled in college-level coursework through the joint enrollment program only receive credit from one of the institutions.

POLICY ELEMENT: College courses offered within secondary schools use the same syllabi and exams as comparable courses taught on a college campus.

Not in Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Tennessee policy does not specifically address issues of syllabi and exams.

POLICY ELEMENT: The postsecondary institution conferring credit sets the qualifications for faculty teaching courses taken for dual credit.

Not in Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Tennessee policy does not include provisions pertaining to instructor qualifications for dual or joint enrollment courses.

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 concurrent enrollment in the state create incentives for school districts to partner with institutions of higher education to offer dual credit opportunities for students.

In Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Under Tenn. Code Title 49, which governs Cooperative Innovative High School Porgrams, districts and public postsecondary insitutions are permitted to use state, federal and local funds to implement dual enrollment programs.

POLICY ELEMENT: Funding policies for dual enrollment support access for low-income high school students who are interested in taking college courses.

In Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program

Dual enrollment students are eligible to apply for a Dual Enrollment Grant funded through lottery proceeds. To continue to be eligible after the first semester of receipt, the student must maintain a cumulative 2.75 GPA for all postsecondary courses attempted through the grant. The grant covers only tuition for lower-division courses.

Not in Evidence:

Joint Enrollment Program

State policy does not address this element.

POLICY ELEMENT: Funding streams are flexible enough that funds can be used for professional development, books, lab fees, and student transportation.

Not in Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/ Joint Enrollment Program

State policy does not address this element.

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 administrative structures to support program leaders and dual enrollment partners.

In Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

State code requires that the “state board of education, department of education, Tennessee higher education commission, board of trustees of the University of Tennessee and the board of regents create a consortium for cooperative innovative education to oversee cooperative innovative high school programs,” including dual enrollment. The consortium has the authority to “establish and appoint committees and subcommittees to perform its tasks with respect to approving, implementing, overseeing and evaluating cooperative innovative high school programs” (Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-15-103).

POLICY ELEMENT: States should report annually on dual enrollment participation and impact.

Not in Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

State policy does not require any reporting or data collection relating to dual enrollment.

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 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.

In Evidence:

Tennessee’s data systems have the ability to track student-level enrollment and transcript data.  Student records can be matched across the secondary and postsecondary systems. Visitors to the Tennessee Department of Education website can generate reports that disaggregate dual enrollees by gender, geography, Pell Grant status, and more. These public reports do not allow website viewers to monitor student progress, but the state has the capacity to do so.

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 memoranda of understanding or cooperative agreements.

Not in Evidence:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

Postsecondary institutions and local education agencies enter into a written agreement to establish dual enrollment programs, but policy only specifies that the agreement include “any terms and conditions imposed on the program by the state board of education and the governing board of the applicant public postsecondary institution” (TENN. CODE ANN. § 49-15-106(c)).

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:

Dual Enrollment Program/Joint Enrollment Program

State code does not require the provision of a college liaison for student advisement and support.