Louisiana 2016 2016 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HCR141 Introduced / Bill

                    HLS 16RS-3918	ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 141
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROADWATER
EDUCATION:  Requests the commissioner of higher education and the state superintendent
of education to jointly report to the legislature on increasing availability and use of
dual enrollment programs
1	A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the commissioner of higher education and the state superintendent of
3 education to jointly report to the legislature, prior to February 1, 2017, on increasing
4 availability and use of dual enrollment programs.
5 WHEREAS, dual enrollment programs allow students to receive high school and
6postsecondary education credit for a single course; and
7 WHEREAS, such courses have numerous benefits for students including helping
8them stay engaged in school, thereby increasing their chances of graduating from high
9school, and making the transition to higher education easier, which in turn enhances their
10chances of completing a college degree or other credential; and
11 WHEREAS, dual enrollment may also reduce the total cost of a postsecondary
12program of study, and finishing earlier can save money for both the student and the state;
13and
14 WHEREAS, Louisiana law provides for dual enrollment programs, but many believe
15that these programs have not been implemented to the maximum extent possible; and
16 WHEREAS, successful implementation of dual enrollment programs requires
17substantial cooperation and coordination among the secondary and postsecondary
18communities, which may be a factor that has limited implementation; and
19 WHEREAS, the legislature requires further information from program administrators
20on the successes of dual enrollment programs and on what changes need to be made for
Page 1 of 2 HLS 16RS-3918	ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 141
1greater success and believes that a single report representing both the secondary and
2postsecondary perspectives on the opportunities and challenges regarding dual enrollment
3would be valuable.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
5urge and request the commissioner of higher education and the state superintendent of
6education to jointly report to the legislature, prior to February 1, 2017, containing
7recommendations on increasing availability and use of dual enrollment programs.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in preparing the report required by this
9Resolution, the commissioner and the superintendent shall jointly hold at least two public
10hearings to solicit input from citizens and from organizations with an interest in or
11information on the topic.
12 BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED, that the report shall include the following:
13 (1)  An analysis of past and current participation in dual enrollment programs, which
14shall include numbers of participants and trends in those numbers and information on
15geographic distribution of participants, specific programs and courses of study pursued,
16outcomes in particular courses, and ultimate postsecondary success of participants.
17 (2)  Identification of factors that hinder participation in dual enrollment programs
18including factors that prevent students from participating in the programs that do exist and
19factors that limit the availability of the programs.
20 (3)  Specific suggestions for how participation in productive dual enrollment
21opportunities can be increased and an action plan for implementing these suggestions.
22 (4)  Identification of any legislative action required for increasing dual enrollment
23opportunities and participation.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services.  It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument.  The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.  [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 141 Original 2016 Regular Session	Broadwater
Requests the commissioner of higher education and the state superintendent of education to
jointly report to the legislature, prior to Feb. 1, 2017, on increasing availability and use of
dual enrollment programs.
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