Dual Enrollment Programs in Hawaii Essay

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Abstract

Dual enrollment programs have become mandatory in about half the states. Although Hawaii is not one of those 25 states with mandatory dual enrollment programs, the state does have some comprehensive solutions for providing all high school students with the benefits of dual enrollment programs. Through policies and programs like GEAR UP, Running Start, and Early College, the Department of Education of Hawaii has made dual enrollment a reality for many students. By opting out of some of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) provisions, the state Department of Education has also liberated resource for developing its own programs, which are much more relevant to the population of Hawaii. The Running Start is the most renowned of all the Hawaiian dual enrollment programs because it was jointly initiated by the University of Hawaii system. Moreover, all state universities in Hawaii participate in Running Start. Running Start mandates that the high school students receive their college credit classes at the university—rather than through their high school. This is the main difference between Running Start and Early College/Early Admission, and also between Running Start and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. As successful as Running Start has been in Hawaii, there are some drawbacks that need to be overcome. One is that rural residents of the state do not have access to the university courses, with limited transportation options. Another is that low-income residents do not have access to the university courses because students are actually required to pay for their tuition, books, and other costs. GEAR UP is a federally funded, state-run project that ameliorates the financial strain placed on low income families, but more work is needed. Teachers are not able or willing to offer the dual credit/dual enrollment classes at the rural schools for the Early College program. Finally, the success of Project Ho‘oku‘i. shows that dual enrollment programs need to be more culturally relevant. Suggestions for future educatonal policy are offered.

Introduction

Dual credit programs have been well established throughout United States public schools. According to Hodara & Wang (2015), 25 states now require all of their public school districts to offer some type of dual credit program. By 2011, as many as 82% of all American public schools had students enrolled in dual credit programs, not even including Advanced Placement (AP) course enrollment (Hodara & Wang, 2015). However, Hawaii is not one of the 25 states that requires school districts to offer dual credit programs. Whether Hawaii’s dual credit programs need to be strengthened or not is the subject of this research. Through policies other than mandated dual credit access, the state is “committed to the availability of dual credit through a number of statewide dual-credit programs,” (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1). More importantly, Hawaii has reconsidered its approach towards funding dual enrollment programs. In 2013, the State of Hawaii received approval to waive certain provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a federal policy that was not specifically geared towards improving college preparedness. Instead, a team of Hawaiian stakeholders including educators, parents, community groups, and members of the state’s higher education network collaborated for a solution. The result was the Strive HI Performance System, which has an express goal of improving or assuring “readiness for community, college, and careers,” (Hawaii State Department of Education, 2017). These should be the goals of high school already. Hawaii has taken responsibility for student outcomes by rejecting unworkable federal education policies and adopting plans and programs that work to improve educational outcome for all residents of the state.

Access

Access issues entail cost accessibility, logistics issues such as transportation, admissions policies and barriers to enrollment, and possibly also linguistic and cultural barriers. Another important barrier in service delivery with regards to dual enrollment programs in Hawaiian public schools is information. Osumi (2010) reports that once school-based notifications were distributed throughout the state, counselors “relied on students to self-identify” as interested in Running Start (p. viii). Asking students to self-identify is not a culturally relevant or effective method of attracting attention and interest in dual enrollment programs. Students need more information about the programs, how to enroll, what the programs mean, and how dual enrollment fits into their lifestyle. The students also need to have a clear and easy pathway of enrollment, and understand the meaning of college education overall.

Economic Issues

The two most notable dual credit programs in Hawaii now are called Early College and Running Start. Running Start is a state-specific program, “a partnership between the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and University of Hawai‘i (UH) system that allows students to take college courses and earn college credit,” (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1). Classes must be taken on the college campuses, taught by a college professor.

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However, sometimes the student is responsible for paying for these courses. This has been a major problem with Running Start, as it has the potential to isolate and marginalize students whose families cannot afford the cost of the program. In 2007, the Hawaii legislature officially recognized that its underserved communities were not participating in dual enrollment/dual credit courses due specifically to “perceived financial barriers,” (Osumi, 2010, p. 13). To mitigate the problems with financial accessibility, the government of Hawaii has received federal funding for a scholarship program called Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).

The provisions of GEAR UP are extensive, but focus on helping low-income students access funding that will assist their success in dual enrollment courses. GEAR UP “supports low-income students’ participation in the Running Start dual credit program by providing support for tuition and books,” (“Running Start,” n.d.). GEAR UP scholarships are not needs-based, but admissions policies do favor low-income students, assessed by their already participating in other needs-based programs like the National School Lunch Program, the Supplemental Assistance for Needy Families (SNAP), or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (“Running Start,” n.d.).

Unlike Running Start, Early College/Early Admissions courses are offered at the student’s high school, making these classes potentially more accessible than the Running Start programs (Dual Credit, 2017). However, there may be tuition and other cost impediments that reveal some of the problems with the way the state is increasing access to dual enrollment programs. The most notable state policy that supports dual credit programs directly is senate bill SB374, which “aims to broaden access and participation in all forms of dual credit,” (Hodara & Wang, 2015, p. 1). What SB734 effectively did was to open dual enrollment to a wide range of students previously excluded, including younger students (high school freshman), as well as home-schooled students. Moreover, SB734 ensured that access to dual enrollment programs would be expanded via different admissions methods. Whereas previous admissions into dual enrollment programs was achieved through standardized tests only, now the state requires multiple types of admissions assessment methods (Hodara & Wang, 2015). The SB734 does not, however, offer additional funding for students’ tuition or school fees (Hodara & Wang, 2015). To alleviate budget restrictions, the state of Hawaii’s Department of Education has been seeking additional federal funding (“Hawaii 'dual credit' high schoolers more likely to go to college,” 2016). Funding shortfalls are disproportionately affecting Hawaii’s rural residents. “Rural districts losing revenue due to waning K-12 student enrollment may be forced to choose between limiting dual enrollment course opportunities and making staffing reductions,” (Dournay, 2014, p. 1).

Geography (Rural vs Urban)

There are a number of access issues related to geography. Osumi (2010) found geographic distance from a postsecondary campus had a strong bearing on student participation in the dual enrollment programs, for obvious reasons. Students who live in remote and rural areas cannot reasonably attend the dual enrollment courses offered in the Running Start program. Running Start requires that the students make their own way to the college campuses, and also have to pay for the courses. As Dounay (2014) points out, rural dual enrollment looks better on paper than it is in practice. Osumi (2010) notes that one of the accessibility problems with dual enrollment has been the inability to effectively share information about these programs, or deliver program content to rural communities. Increasing the availability of technology might help rural students remotely access dual credit courses.

Other logistically issues are on the supply side of education. Rural school districts find it difficult to attract and retain qualified teachers who can offer the dual enrollment courses in the rural schools (Dounay, 2014). Geographic access is an issue even when the programs like Early Start, which allows the students to receive the college credit courses right from their local high school instead of on a remote college campus. Educators are unable o unwilling to drive to remote schools just to teach the dual enrollment courses because they lack financial incentives to do so (Dounay, 2014).

Culture

Cultural barriers to accessing dual-education programs must be taken into account when situating them within the Hawaiian public education system.….....

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