The Board of Regents and BESE sets a goal of ensuring that every high school freshman by 2025 will graduate with at least one college credit or job skill credential.

Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed says making sure all high school grads have post-secondary credits will inspire more of them to head to college.

“I have had an opportunity to visit with students who said college was not even a thought for them, but then they took a dual enrollment course and had confidence that they can actually do college,” says Reed.

The state has set the goal of doubling the number of post-secondary credentials by 2030.

Dual enrollment credits can be an out of pocket expense in some school districts, but Reed says a task force has been created to find a way to make sure no student has to pay for the opportunity.

“We are working on that nested within this bigger goal, to make sure that we have opportunity for every student regardless of race, place, or family income,” says Reed.

Reed says the policy is another example of the state sending a clear signal to students that a high school diploma will not be enough in the future knowledge economy.

“You need to be thinking about what is the market relevant credential that you need to have, what do you want to be, and how do you want to participate in this economy,” says Reed.

Half of students in the 2018 class obtained a college credit or industry credential.

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