A new dual enrollment program is poised to give thousands of eligible high school students access to more than 500 online college-level courses from a growing network of higher education institutions. K12 Private Academy, a private school for grades K–12, and Acadeum, a company helping colleges and universities share courses, are working together to remove barriers to college-level curriculum for eligible high school students.
As the national student debt crisis climbs toward $1.7 trillion, dual enrollment has boomed in recent years, with more than one million high school students currently enrolled in college courses. Unfortunately, a 2018 Government Accountability Office report found significant disparities in access to dual enrollment, with fewer courses offered at low income and smaller schools.Now, with 60% of parents reporting concerns about their children going to school amid the ongoing pandemic, there’s a pressing need to make online dual enrollment options universally accessible.
“Access to higher education has been out of reach for too many students for far too long. Just as online learning has leveled the education playing field for students worldwide, we can change lives by improving access to college,” said Tony Bennett, Senior Vice President of School Management at Stride, Inc. “By introducing more K12 Private Academy students to Acadeum’s consortium, we are bringing higher education’s promise to all those who are ready for it.”
High school students enrolled in K12 Private Academy can apply credits from successfully completed college courses toward their GPA and graduation requirements at any participating higher education institution or transfer them to thousands of colleges and universities across the country. These students can curate their education by selecting classes from a growing number of institutions participating in the Acadeum dual enrollment consortium. Beginning in fall of 2022, eligible high school sophomores can start pursuing 20 associate degree pathways aligned to high-growth careers in fields including computer science, cybersecurity, and health sciences.
“K12 Private Academy is an established leader in online education,” said Josh Pierce, co-founder and CEO of Acadeum. “We’re excited to work alongside an organization that is committed to preparing middle and high school students for the rigors of university education and their careers.”
Source: Businesswire
