Bill > SB974

This bill amends the Public School Code to enhance the Dual Credit Innovation Grant Program, which provides grants to public higher education institutions and community education councils to offer dual credit courses (college-level courses that high school students can take and receive both high school and college credit). The bill expands the program's priorities to focus on providing courses aligned with high-priority occupations and serving specific student groups, including those experiencing education instability, career and technical education students, low-income students, historically underserved students, and rural students. If insufficient applications are received, the program can now extend grants to State-related and independent institutions. The bill also requires the department to collect and publicly report detailed student-level data about dual credit courses, including the number of college credits earned, students enrolled, and the percentage of dual credit students who subsequently enroll in higher education. Additionally, the bill introduces a formal definition for "community education council" and allows for more collaborative approaches between educational institutions in offering dual credit opportunities. The changes aim to increase access to advanced educational opportunities for high school students and provide more transparency about the program's impact. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Education

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=974