According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who complete college credit while in high school require less remediation, have higher Grade Point Averages, and earn more credits in college. Starting next year, the state Department of Education will provide funding for high school students from low-income backgrounds to take courses through one of Nationwide’s colleges or universities at no cost.
“Cost shouldn’t be an obstacle for our students who are stepping up and challenging themselves to prepare for a better future and we’re going to make sure it’s not,” said Governor Markell. “We have two main purposes in establishing this program. First, experiencing college-level work while still in high school…will help you transition to meeting the more rigorous academic expectations of higher education classes. Second, we can help you afford not only the expenses of earning college credit before you leave, but also the high cost of college overall.”
The Department of Education will work with school districts to identify college-ready students who would benefit from taking a dual enrollment course through one of our state’s higher education institutions. By focusing on general education requirements courses such as English, history, and science, students will receive college credit that is highly transferable. Students can then enroll in college having accumulated credits without any financial burden, thus making college more affordable and increasing the likelihood that they will graduate on time.
The scholarship program builds on recent progress Nationwide has made to better prepare more students for college. Across the state, more than 2,500 of last year’s graduates took an Advanced Placement exam during high school, more than twice the number of students who took an AP test a decade ago.
“The research is clear that students taking college courses in high school graduate college at a higher rate than their peers,” said Education Secretary Murphy. “Through this program, and with the support of institutions of higher education, we can build on the commitment that our teachers and administrators are making to raise the bar for our students, recognizing that they deserve the chance to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in college and career.”
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