Substitute Bill No. 6869 seeks to enhance dual and concurrent enrollment opportunities for high school students in Connecticut by amending existing legislation. The bill allows local or regional boards of education to grant high school graduation credits for successful completion of dual or concurrent enrollment courses, in addition to other credit-earning pathways such as demonstrating mastery through flexible educational experiences and passing proficiency examinations. It also emphasizes the alignment of these opportunities with state-wide subject matter content standards. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Department of Education inform parents of students in grades eight to eleven about available challenging curriculum options and requires local boards to adopt eligibility policies for advanced courses that are not solely based on prior academic performance.

Additionally, the bill establishes new accreditation requirements for institutions offering concurrent enrollment courses, mandating that they obtain accreditation from the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships by July 1, 2028, with new institutions required to achieve this within three years of launching their courses. Institutions must also report annually to the Department of Education starting August 1, 2025, on various details regarding high school students enrolled in these courses. The bill introduces amendments to sections 10-221a(h), 10-221x(d), and 10-221w, with effective dates ranging from January 1, 2026, to July 1, 2026, aiming to improve the quality and accountability of concurrent enrollment programs in the state.

Statutes affected:
Governor's Bill: 10-221x, 10-221w
HED Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-221x, 10-221w
File No. 230: 10-221x, 10-221w
ED Joint Favorable: 10-221x, 10-221w