School districts have been looking for ways to motivate more instructors to teach college classes in high schools, but changes in their requirements might slow the efforts.
The clarification in education requirements for teachers came last fall from the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits institutions in Colorado. Teachers must be in compliance by fall of 2017.
School officials say they have not decreased the number of concurrent enrollment classes they offer, but fear that could happen.
“My concern is that we will not have the number of teachers necessary, or that we will not be able to expand the offerings that we currently have,” said Mimi Leonard, coordinator for career and technical education at Littleton Public Schools.
According to the , more than 31,000 students — or about a quarter of all 11th- and 12th-graders in Colorado public schools — took dual enrollment classes in the 2013-14 school year. The .
Under the clarified rules, to teach the courses teachers must have a master’s degree in their content area, and if the degree is in another subject, they must have at least 18 graduate credits in the subject they teach — such as English, math or history.
In colleges, most teachers already meet those requirements, but in high schools, many teachers have master’s degrees in subjects like curriculum and instruction.
“Overall, the concept of it is a good one. They’re trying to ensure the instruction is really of equal rigor,” said Leonard, who also serves on the state concurrent enrollment advisory board.
The Falcon District 49 is creating an incentive for teachers to teach the dual enrollment courses for high school students by providing a stipend. The district also budgeted $55,000 to help teachers pay to go back to school.
But in most districts, teachers are on their own to cover the costs, and not every district provides a stipend to make it worth it.
Officials are closely watching a bill in the state legislature, Senate Bill 104, who need to get in compliance. Denver Public Schools provides a stipend for teaching concurrent enrollment classes, but it does not help pay for teacher’s tuition costs associated with the new requirement.
Kim Poast, executive director of college and career readiness for DPS, said the district is working on just that, but is also focusing on aligning the new requirements with who they hire.
As an alternative, districts can send students to college campuses to take courses from college professors, but officials say there are benefits to having the classes in a high school.
“It provides students an opportunity to learn how to be a college student while in high school with their high school college counselor there,” said Mary Perez, director of concurrent enrollment for Falcon District 49.
Offering classes in high school, officials say, also makes them available to more students rather than requiring students to find transportation.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or @yeseniarobles
