SENATE, No. 82

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Senators BASSANO and EWING

 

 

An Act establishing a dual enrollment program to award high school and college credit to certain public school students and supplementing chapter 61C of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Commissioner of Education and the Commission on Higher Education, in consultation with the Presidents' Council, shall establish a dual enrollment program for public secondary school students. The program shall award both secondary and post-secondary credit to eligible student participants who attend Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Institute of Technology, a State college established pursuant to chapter 64 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes or a county college established pursuant to chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. The program shall include opportunities for enrollment in both academic and occupational college courses but shall not include enrollment in any developmental courses which may be offered by the institution.

 

    2. The commissioner shall establish criteria for eligibility for student participation in the program which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

    a. the student shall be a public high school student who is in the junior or senior year;

    b. the student shall have a high school grade point average of at least 3.0 and be recommended by the school principal for enrollment in the program. A student who does not have a 3.0 grade point average, but whose participation is recommended by the school principal as in the student's best interest, shall also be eligible to enroll in the program;

    c. the student shall meet the pertinent admissions and course requirements of the institution; and


    d. the student shall have the written approval of his parent or guardian.

 

    3. Each institution of higher education in the program shall, pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the Commission on Higher Education, permit students accepted in the dual admissions program to enroll without the payment of tuition charges in regularly scheduled courses; provided that available classroom space permits and that tuition paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course. Nothing herein shall preclude an institution from requiring registration fees, subject to the approval of the commission, for students attending courses pursuant to waivers granted under this act. Any required registration fees may be paid by the school district if funds are available. If funds are not available, then the registration fees shall be paid by the student; except that no student shall be denied enrollment in a course because the student is unable to pay the registration fees due to financial hardship.

 

    4. A student who participates in the program shall maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average in all college course work and the recommendation of the high school and institution of higher education in order to remain eligible for participation in the dual enrollment program. A student who does not maintain a 3.0 grade point average, but whose continued enrollment is recommended by both the high school and the institution of higher education, shall also remain eligible for continued program participation.

 

    5. The Commissioner of Education and the Commission on Higher Education, in consultation with the Presidents' Council, shall evaluate the overall effectiveness of the dual enrollment program and its impact on the following areas: the academic progress and high school completion rate of participants; continuation of education after high school; improved, enhanced, and expanded curriculum for high school students; and the facilitation of articulation agreements and collaboration between high schools and institutions of higher education.

 

    6. The State Board of Education and the Commission on Higher Education each shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act, " P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

 

    7. This act shall take effect immediately.


STATEMENT

 

    This bill directs the Commissioner of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to establish a dual enrollment program for public secondary school students. Under the program, an eligible student would be awarded both secondary and post-secondary credit for a college course taken at Rutgers, the State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, or a State or county college. The bill requires that each institution permit students who are participating in the dual enrollment program to enroll without payment of tuition charges in regularly scheduled courses, provided that available classroom space permits and that tuition paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course. The institution would be allowed to charge a registration fee subject to the approval of the commission.

    Under the bill's provisions, to be eligible to participate in the program, a student must be in the third or fourth year of high school, have a grade point average of at least 3.0, and be recommended by the school principal for enrollment in the program. A student who does not have a 3.0 grade point average, but whose participation is recommended by the school principal as in the student's best interest, would also be eligible to enroll in the program. The student must also meet all pertinent admissions and course requirements of the institution and have the written permission of the parent or guardian.

    The bill directs the commissioner and the commission to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the dual enrollment program and its impact on areas such as the academic progress and high school completion rate of its participants, continuation of education after high school, expanded curriculum opportunities for high school students, and the facilitation of articulation agreements between high schools and institutions of higher education.

 

 

 

Establishes a dual enrollment program to award high school and college credit to public school students.