Sens. Cassidy & Peters, Reps. Polis & Reed Introduce Legislation to Make College More Affordable & Accessible

Press Release

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), U.S. Representative Tom Reed (R-NY) and U.S. Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand options for high school students to obtain college credit.

The Making College Affordable and Accessible Act (MCAA) would make higher education more affordable and accessible while improving high school and college graduation rates. It would expand access to dual and concurrent enrollment programs and early/middle college programs by providing grants to institutions of higher education. The National Alliance on Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships estimates 1.9 million high school students enrolled in a college course during the 2014-2015 school year.

"Students benefit when they are introduced to college classes when in high school. Not only does it prepare for success, but it lowers the expense to attend college when enrolled full time," said Senator Cassidy.

"The escalating cost of higher education should not deter hardworking, motivated students from obtaining a quality higher education," said Senator Peters. "I am pleased to introduce this bipartisan bill to help reduce the price tag for higher learning by allowing students to complete college-level courses in while they are still in high school. Students will save time and money as they kick-start their careers through a personalized curriculum."

"We care about ensuring our students have access to a quality education that will prepare them for the career opportunities of today and tomorrow," said Congressman Reed. "Dual and concurrent enrollment programs are a valuable tool in reducing the cost of college and expanding educational access for hardworking local families. That is why I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Polis and Senators Peters and Cassidy, and look forward to continuing to work with them in promoting commonsense higher education solutions."

"Dual and concurrent enrollment has helped Colorado students get college credit and even associates degrees while they are in high school," said Congressman Polis. "Students who participate in dual enrollment courses can save on the cost of a year or two of college. For families struggling to pay tuition, those savings can make a huge difference. Our bill will expand dual enrollment opportunities so that even more students have access to this cost-saving strategy."

The Making College Affordable and Accessible Act (MCAA) would allow money from the Higher Education Act Title VII Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to be used to provide grants to institutions of higher education. These grants can be used to:

· Carry out dual and concurrent enrollment programs as well as early/middle college programming;

· Provide teachers in these programs with professional development; and

· Support activities such as course design, course approval processes, community outreach, student counseling and support services.

Concurrent enrollment provides high school students the opportunity to take college-credit bearing courses taught by college-approved high school teachers, while dual enrollment involves students being enrolled in two separate institutions. Middle and early college high schools and programs are located on college campuses or within schools respectively and allow students to begin working toward an associate's degree while they complete the necessary coursework for a high school diploma. This model often includes a 13th year to allow students to complete their associate's degree. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) early college students on average earn 36 college credits, and 30% of early college students earn an associate's degree.

The Making College Affordable and Accessible Act (MCAA)is supported by a broad group of education organizations, including the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, Council of Chief State School Officers, ACT, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, National Education Association, Knowledge Alliance, Community Training and Assistance Center, the American Federation of Teachers, BARD College, Jobs for the Future, Middle College National Consortium and Education Northwest.