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Brightbill's Dual Enrollment Program Helping Nearly 20,000
Students Across PA
HARRISBURG -- Sen.
David J. Brightbill's dual enrollment program, which allows high school students
to take college course and receive credit from both schools, has been an
overwhelming success in Pennsylvania.
At a press conference today
on the campus of Lebanon Valley College, Senate Majority Leader Brightbill
(R-48) was joined by Dr. Stephen C. MacDonald, president of Lebanon Valley
College; Dr. Marsha Zehner, superintendent of Annville-Cleona School District;
Dr. Marianne Bartley, superintendent of Lebanon School District; Dr. Larry
Schmidt, superintendent of Palmyra Area School District; Don Francis, president
of the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania; and
Kandice Giurintano, who was a dual enrollment student at Annville-Cleona and
Lebanon Valley College several years ago.
They discussed the success
of the program to date, and Sen. Brightbill encouraged Gov. Rendell to increase
funding for dual enrollment in the 2006-07 state budget. Also known as
concurrent enrollment, dual enrollment has been around for years. But the
2005-06 state budget marked the first time that state funding ($5 million) was
provided to give school districts and colleges an extra incentive to promote the
idea.
"Dual enrollment is a
winning program for Pennsylvania families, school districts and our colleges and
universities," said Sen. Brightbill. "Students are able to excel at their own
pace while their families save tuition costs. School districts can offer
exciting new educational opportunities, and our colleges and universities get to
help students understand the demands placed on college students."
"The Dual Enrollment program
promises to increase access to higher education for all students in Pennsylvania
by easing the financial burden on both students and their families," said Dr.
MacDonald. "We in the higher education community applaud this initiative. It
represents a strong public complement to efforts at increasing access to higher
education made by private colleges and universities."
"Lebanon Valley College is
an excellent example of how the independent sector of higher education has
embraced the dual enrollment program," said Francis. "Currently, 33 AICUP
schools are participating in the Commonwealth's dual enrollment program."
Sen. Brightbill first
introduced dual enrollment legislation in June of 2004 (as Senate Bill 1145); he
reintroduced the legislation as Senate Bill 150 in February of 2005. Days after
the second bill was introduced, Gov. Rendell included dual enrollment as a
centerpiece of his educational policy for the 2005-06 state budget proposal.
In his 2005 budget address,
Gov. Rendell said, "Senator Brightbill has proposed an approach to helping
school districts pay for students who have the skill and drive to take college
level courses in 12th grade. Many states are far ahead of us and their students
are showing great results. This budget makes dual enrollment -- enrolling in
college while still in high school -- a financially viable option for more
Pennsylvania school districts than ever before."
In the 48th Senatorial
District, 13 school districts chose to participate in the dual enrollment
program; they were awarded more than $237,500 in grants.
Across the state, a total of
77 postsecondary institutions are participating in Sen. Brightbill's dual
enrollment program. In addition to the 33 AICUP schools, 13 of Pennsylvania's
14 community colleges and 11 of the 14 universities in the State System of
Higher Education are participating, along with 20 other institutions of higher
learning.
Marianne Bartley,
superintendent of Lebanon School District, has said that the grant "will give
our juniors and seniors who have the desire and ability to take college courses
a wonderful opportunity to pursue advanced studies. It will open doors for many
students."
 
Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill (R-48), right, participates
in a Feb. 2 news conference at Lebanon Valley College to announce a $5
million state program that allows high school students to enroll in
college and earn credits.
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