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Minutes for SB335 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Authorizing school districts to pay the tuition for a student's dual enrollment in a postsecondary educational institution.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 10, 2020
Chairperson Baumgardner opened the hearing on SB335.
Staff gave an overview of the bill.
Proponent testimonies:
Blake Flanders, PhD, President and CEO, Kansas Board of Regents, stated that dual enrollment programs allow high school students to take courses and to receive both high school and college credit. High school students currently can benefit from a concurrent enrollment partnership which is an agreement between a college or university and a school district to provide eligible high school students with college courses taught by approved high school faculty during the normal high school day. In academic year 2018, 15,120 students (headcount) enrolled, on average, in two general education college courses through concurrent enrollment partnerships for a total of 98,530 credit hours.
Data suggests that dually enrolled students share the following characteristics:
- More likely to meet college-readiness benchmarks
- More likely to enter college and enter shortly after high school graduation
- Lower likelihood of placement into remedial English or math
- Higher first-year grade point average
- Higher second-year retention rates
- Shorter average time to bachelor's degree completion for those completing in six years or less
This bill would allow school districts to pay for tuition and related costs for a student to enroll in the postsecondary institution and is a great step forward in providing greater access for Kansans to get a head start on their postsecondary education.(Attachment 1)
Matt Lindsey, President, Kansas Independent College Association, explained that the 20 independent institutions in Kansas are exempt from the Private and Out-of-State Post-Secondary Education Institutions Act and therefore are not governed by nor have a coordinating or regulatory role by the Kansas Board of Regents. These institutions do not receive any direct institution funding from the state of Kansas, as befits their independent status. In Fall 2019, 2,738 students enrolled on main campuses of independent colleges were concurrent/dual credit students reflecting approximately 15% of the main campus student body.
One concern is the constraints on faculty qualifications imposed by the accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission because they require any course that earns undergraduate college credit be taught by an instructor with at least 18 hours of masters-level credit or a master's degree in the specific discipline of the course. A graduate degree in education/teaching is not sufficient.(Attachment 2)
Terrell Davis, Executive Director of Public Affairs, Wichita Public Schools 259, reported that 90% of their comprehensive schools have 50% or more of their student populations identified with at-risk factors. This extreme level of need requires many layers of support and innovation. They have launched an Early College program that allows students the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credits while obtaining their High School Diploma. This first year of the program has 50 students enrolled and 50 more each year will be added with a final enrollment of 200 the fourth year. Students who complete the program will enter college as a third-year student. Early College takes students who in the middle, those who have potential but could easily fall through the cracks and captures them and inspires them to see that they can become whatever they desire because they are good enough!
They are not asking for additional money but are asking for local authority to pay for tuition for these students and to be able to negotiate tuition with local colleges/universities, and/or community colleges and technical schools. (Attachment 3)
Heather Morgan, Executive Director, Kansas Association of Community College Trustees, supports the K-12 system being able to both pay for students taking college classes and to transport students to properly accredited institutions of higher education such as Kansas Community Colleges. This bill provides a critical access path to these students enabling them to take college classes while still in high school and transportation to the college is also often a barrier for students to accessing classes. KACCT requests one technical amendment to retain the concurrent language and add dual enrollment to the bill as well. (Attachment 4)
Mark Tallman, Associate Executive Director, Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB), supports the State Board of Education’s Kansas Can goal of improving postsecondary educational attainment. Projections are that the gap between current educational levels and requirements and the Kansas economy will worsen if we do not increase the number of students who both complete high school and earn a second credential, whether technical certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or higher.
About 66% of Kansas adults have at least some college credit but this group includes individuals who may not have completed a credential. Indications are between 70 - 75 percent of Kansas jobs in the future will require more than a high school diploma. Therefore, it is critical we prepare students for a postsecondary program and help them to afford it. School leaders report that for many low-income students, the cost of tuition and fees for these programs may beyond their reach, especially since high school students are not eligible for federal student aid programs. This bill would give school districts another option for assisting students in reaching postsecondary success. (Attachment 5)
Written Proponent Testimony submitted by:
Senator Mike Peterson, Assistant Majority Leader, Kansas Senate (Attachment 6)
Dr. Amy Bragg Carey, President, Friends University (Attachment 7)
Jason P. Watkins, Legislative Consultant, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce (Attachment 8)
