District 5 expands dual-enrollment access, details tuition, eligibility and transfer limits

Trustee Snipes and Superintendent Dr. Ross on May 5 heard an update from district staff on the expansion of dual enrollment opportunities for high school students in School District 5.

District officials said the program lets juniors and seniors take college courses for free through Midlands Technical College while still enrolled in high school. Tina McCaskill, chief of academics, and Dr. Tim Swick, the district's lead teacher for dual enrollment, told the board the program is tuition-free when students use state lottery tuition assistance and that Midlands Tech requires a C or better to retain dual-enrollment status.

The presentation laid out core requirements and limits: students must meet eligibility criteria (Swick said the district asks for a minimum GPA of 3.0 and good disciplinary standing), take at least two college courses a semester to qualify for the tuition assistance, and should understand that grades count toward both high school and college GPAs. "Dual enrollment is the opportunity for tuition free college while still in high school," Swick said. Staff asked families to confirm transferability of credits with prospective colleges, noting that while Midlands Tech credits transfer widely, acceptance by out-of-state institutions varies.

Nut graf: District leaders framed the expansion as a way to increase access to college-level coursework, accelerate credentialing and reduce college costs for families; trustees pressed staff on whether bringing classes into high schools would boost participation.

Board members and staff emphasized program logistics and early outcomes. McCaskill said the district offered 19 course options this year, including English Composition 101/102, world language, psychology, sociology, computer applications and CTE electives such as medical terminology. She said the district covered textbook costs and reported 73 students participated in 2024'25 (11 in-person at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies and 62 virtually), producing 717 total credit hours across the year. McCaskill said fall semester grades averaged an 84 and produced 381 credit hours; spring results were still arriving but showed 336 passing credit hours to date.

Staff presented near-term growth projections. Swick and McCaskill said the district expects roughly 115 students next year (35 in-person, 80 virtual) and that a summer session drew 30 student registrations. McCaskill estimated textbook costs for the year at $3,574 total (about $52 per student) and noted ongoing work with Midlands Tech to lower textbook expenses through open educational resources.

Trustees asked several operational questions. Trustee Huddle asked whether courses could be offered at individual high schools rather than centralized at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies; staff said that Midlands Tech currently requires sufficient enrollment to justify an on-site instructor and that centralization was a practical response to small initial cohorts. "We can certainly look into that," McCaskill said about piloting courses at individual high schools if demand grows.

Trustee Scully and others asked about International Baccalaureate enrollment and whether dual enrollment might better reach accelerated students; staff said some students select IB career-related pathways while others mix IB, AP and dual-enrollment courses. Swick cautioned families that dual-enrollment grades are permanent on college transcripts and recommended that students and parents verify transfer policies at intended colleges.

Ending: Staff told the board they will continue expanding options and refining scheduling (including more afternoon in-person sessions) and will provide follow-up details as spring grades and next-year registration finalize.