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Regents direct work group to develop low‑cost ‘First 15’ concurrent‑enrollment framework amid possible funding changes
Summary
Board staff proposed reframing the 'First 15' concurrent‑enrollment initiative to a low‑cost model after legislators signaled possible changes to the reimbursement formula; Regents asked staff to develop a framework and publish provider rates while monitoring legislative action.
Board staff told Regents they will ask the First 15 work group to develop a framework to offer an initial block of concurrent‑enrollment courses at low cost to students rather than free, after conversations during the last legislative session signaled possible changes to the reimbursement formula that funds both high schools and colleges.
Dr. Austin Monaghan, reporting on academic affairs, said legislators discussed modifying the funding formula that currently reimburses both high schools and community colleges for concurrent‑enrollment students. Monaghan said no statutory change has been made but that the topic is likely to reappear in the 2026 legislative session. To manage uncertainty, he said the Board will ask the work group to explore a “low cost” option (less than the full cost of tuition, fees and books) and adjust the timeline for recommendations so the Board could receive proposals by the end of the summer.
Monaghan said staff will publish on the Board website the rates each concurrent‑enrollment provider charges for tuition, fees and books to improve transparency for students and districts. He said the work group will consider linking the First 15 to the system general education curriculum so that commonly transferable courses (for example, English composition and core math pathways) could be included.
Regents raised concerns about service‑area rules and rural access. One Regent noted that geographic service areas can prevent a student from taking a lower‑cost concurrent course outside their district without permission, which can limit rural students’ options. Regents emphasized the need to avoid unintentionally undermining service‑area protections while designing a low‑cost model and suggested considering consortia or cooperative approaches to broaden access for small high schools with low enrollments.
Monaghan said he will reconvene the work group within one to two weeks with a revised charge and develop recommendations for Board review by late summer.
