Bureau County Republican

Dual credit program results in significant savings

OGLESBY — Illinois Valley Community College’s dual credit/dual enrollment program has saved district high school students more than $2 million over the past decade.

Just since 2006-07, IVCC’s dual credit program with district high schools has saved students more than $2.3 million and a new provision within the program is having a dramatic impact on low-income students’ ability to take the courses.

About 1,000 high school students enroll in dual credit courses at a reduced tuition rate each year. Through 2013-14, students were charged just 50 percent the going tuition rate with no fees other than a $5 registration fee. In 2014-15, the rate increased to 60 percent and to 75 percent in 2015-16.

Over the past decade, dual credit/dual enrollment has generated more than 66,000 credit hours resulting in over $2.8 million in tuition including more than $900,000 in just the past two years combined. The program accounts for about 6.7 percent of IVCC’s total tuition revenue, said Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema.

The program has been further enhanced by a new provision allowing high school students eligible for the free and reduced lunch program to have their dual credit tuition waived. An estimated 80 students (29 from Streator High School alone) took advantage of the waiver when it was introduced this fall.

With approximately 45 percent of district high school students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, IVCC received overwhelming support for the initiative from the LaSalle County Regional Office of Education and superintendents from Putnam County, Ottawa, LaSalle-Peru, Streator, Princeton, Mendota, Seneca, St. Bede Academy and Marquette Academy.

“Feedback from our colleagues has been outstanding because we all want the same thing for our students: access to college and an affordable, high-quality degree leading to academic and career success,” said IVCC President Jerry Corcoran.

Marquette has taken full advantage of the program and each year up to a half dozen of its seniors graduate with both a diploma from Marquette and an associate degree from IVCC, saving two costly years at a university. In all, 17 of the 21 public and private high schools in the district participate.

Students also save on their textbooks since the majority are available on a rental basis from IVCC’s bookstore or through their high schools, said dual credit/dual enrollment coordinator Susan Monroe.

Courses are taught by IVCC and qualified high school instructors and each class grade becomes part of the student’s college transcript.

Dual credit students take class during regular high school hours and get both high school and IVCC credit. Dual enrolled students take classes at their school before or after school and earn only college credit.

For information, contact Monroe at 815-224-0598.