Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board Approves Updates to Concurrent Enrollment Policy and Scholarship Rules

LITTLE ROCK -Students now have improved access to concurrent college credit while in high school, as well as access to scholarship funds for summer courses, thanks to changes approved today by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board at its meeting in Conway.

A data analysis of Arkansas' concurrent program shows that students who take one concurrent course are twice as likely to earn a post-secondary degree or certificate, and the more concurrent classes students take, the more their likelihood of earning a credential increases. While Arkansas law already provided opportunities for high school students to enroll in college-level courses, the LEARNS Act strengthened pathways and options for students.

"This improvement to Arkansas' Concurrent Enrollment Policy reinforces Governor Sanders' mission to align and strengthen our educational system," Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said. "Students who engage in concurrent courses while in high school are better prepared to be successful in college and ultimately a career path, and they deserve the opportunity to obtain those goals early in life."

Rather than relying on a single high stakes test like the ACT exam, the policy change allows higher education institutions to use a variety of indicators like high school grade point average, prior course success, as well as college placement tests to determine college credit.

"These changes are research-based best practices that we are now applying, which will allow more high school students to participate in college-level work," ADE's Division of Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Ken Warden said. "As a result, the time and expense needed to obtain a college degree or certificate will be reduced."

Scholarship Changes

At today's meeting, the board also voted to allow current state scholarship recipients to utilize funds to attend summer classes offered at postsecondary institutions. This aligns with recent law changes (Arkansas Code Annotated § 6-80-109) and allows Arkansas students to reach their graduation goals more quickly.

"This is a win, especially for our non-traditional student population," Warden said. "These students have additional life responsibilities and are motivated to persist through the summer months. Now they can use scholarship dollars to help offset higher education expenses and obtain their degree or certificate in a manner that best meets their needs."

For more information about financial aid, visit https://sams.adhe.edu/. To learn more about the Division of Higher Education, go to https://adhe.edu/.

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