Dual Enrollment Programs Essay

In addition to my experience in advising and student affairs, I have also worked as a professional in financial aid for the past eight years. During my time in financial aid I have seen first-hand the challenges students face with the cost of obtaining a higher education degree. My role in financial aid has evolved over my career while exploring the theoretical

Channelview ISD, the district in which I was raised and currently teach, is considered a low demographic district with a high population of at-risk, economically disadvantaged and special education students. The TAPR results exhibit a clear correlation between the demographics of the school and their performance results. Results vary sporadically and show clear indicators of differences amongst demographic factors such as grade, gender, race, economic level, language capabilities and intelligence level, however, some factors influence test results more than others. Grade, intelligence level and language capabilities prove to be the main factors in the gaps between the percent of the state that were at Level II Satisfactory or Above and district percentage results. Also analyzed were the percentages of students who were at Postsecondary Readiness and Advanced and lastly and analysis on what percent of students made progress and exceeded progress as well as identifying which students performed well and

reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, he or she becomes an 'eligible

Around seven months ago, several of my classmates and I walked into our high school’s computer lab and logged onto Northwestern State University’s (NSU) Moodle website for the first time. Over the next seven months, we logged into our accounts several more times, often every day of the week. As dual-enrollment students, we have been attending online college courses through this website as high school students. These courses allow us to get a head start in our college educations. While this experience has been largely beneficial to us as students, it has not been an entirely pleasant one. The NSU dual-enrollment program has issues, but there are solutions to these problems.

aid is available for students seeking college education, some of those students will not all qualify

In 1965, the United States legislature passed a historical legislation called the Higher Education Act of 1965. This was an important legislation intended to strengthen the resources of our colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance to students in postsecondary and higher education. Today, this act remains the foundation for most postsecondary education subsidies, including the Federal Pell Grant program. Since its inception, the federal government has continued to provide varying amounts of funding for higher education in hopes of encouraging college enrollment by reducing college costs. Yet, according to the Department of Education, the United States, once ranked a global leader in postsecondary education, has

Every year, higher education institutions (HEI’s) receive billions of dollars from the Department of Education in the form of loans, grants and subsidies. These funds are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, and are the primary source of Federal student aid for all HEI’s in the United States. The main Title IV programs include Loans, Grants and Federal Work Study (U.S. Government Accountability Office [GAO], 2009).

According to DePaoli (2015), “The academic deficient types of learners are: (1 minorities (2 low income (3 English Language Learners and (4 Special education (DePaoli, et al., 2015) . There is drop-out data that reports percentage points the Rate (AFGR) and the Adjusted Cohort Graduated Rate (ACGR). Further to say, the minority students have made advances however; still shows the need for improvement by the averaged Freshman Graduation Rate, with totals of 75.2 percent and 70.7 percent, correspondingly, lacks behind other subgroups that exceeds the national average of 81.4 percent” (DePaoli, et al al., 2015, p.6). He furthers to say, “the low-income students reach 73.3 percent and up to 3.3 percentage points from 2010-11 but lacks behind 8 percent of the national average of 81.4 percent” (DePaoli, et al., 2015,

The first three programs established under the new Higher Education Act were, Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student support services. Together this “Trio” of federally funded programs encouraged access to higher education for low income students. Currently, there are eight programs administered under the Higher Education Act that target to serve and assist low income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs.

To obviate this costly trend, a program that addressed the special needs of the minority students was developed.

In the past fifty years since the inception of the Higher Education Act, federal policies regarding financial aid have expanded in scope, intent, and access. Prior to this landmark legislation, federal intervention and financial support of higher education was minimal, with most of the control lying with individual states. Whereas financial support for higher education was previously directed at institutions, federal financial aid provided funding for individual students, initially as a means for increasing access for underrepresented and disadvantaged populations. The evolution of federal financial aid represents the historical, political, and policy changes during the past five decades and illustrates the gradual shift in societal values

Between 1990 and 2012, high school graduation rates in 25-29-year-olds have increased from 86 to 90 percent; this overall national rise is reflected in each of the ethnicities, White, Hispanic, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013a). Prior to 2012, nationwide standardized objective measures did not exist for measuring four-year high school graduation rates; tracking educational progress varied from state to state. Thus, state education data collected from 1990-2012 are inaccurate as effective comparative groups unless knowledge of the state-specific previous methodologies is utilized (U.S. Department of Education, 2012a). Since 2012, the NCES, an entity within the Department of

Public education has historically attempted to educate more people and make higher education more accessible to all students. Thus local school districts, higher education institutions, states, and the U.S. federal government are increasingly dealing with funding issues. Faced with decreases in additional funding, our focus must be on channeling existing resources toward practices that increase the probability of student success. This includes best educational practices and viewing schools and higher education institutions that affect student performance as part of an inter-related system, not as separate institutions. Today, educators acknowledge that there is no straight line to earning college

Admitted students with high need and lower probability of four-year completion, were de-incentivized from matriculation by way of inadequate funding to support their enrollment. Students most impacted by these changes in policy and practice were disproportionately from underrepresented backgrounds and under resourced secondary schools, creating conflict between admissions practices that focused on crafting a diverse freshmen class and greater institutional emphasis on four-year completion.

Coming fresh out of high and a dual enrollment my only regent is not starting college earlier. I will walk into college 14 credit hours giving be a head start compared to other incoming freshmen. The MOWR/dual enrollment program is the great equalizer for disenfranchised students, unlike AP classes, college credit guaranteed, also the program makes high school students more prepared for college-level work.