Callee Gittner
\nIn Motion Staff Writer<\/p>\n
There were lots of hushed whispers this year that the dual enrollment program was going to be cut because of budget problems. For hundreds of Volusia County teenagers, that meant not only more money spent towards their education, but more importantly, more time in the classroom earning their college degrees.<\/p>\n
Samantha Brantly, 16, a Spruce Creek High School student is one 800 Volusia dual enrollment students who overheard such whispers and panicked. This year alone, she is looking at earning 12 credit hours toward a college degree, not including the class she took over the summer. She\u2019s thankful she will be able to continue because the Board of Trustees voted to continue the program during its fall meeting at the Deltona campus of Daytona State College. The trustees met with Volusia and Flagler school districts and agreed to give dual enrollment a reprieve at least until the end of the 2013-14 school year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to be able to assist the districts as we continue this valuable service to our next generation of workforce and career leaders,\u201d remarked DSC President Dr. Carol W. Eaton following the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cProviding dual enrollment for our high school students at no cost to them has been a hallmark of our region and Florida education.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Offering that opportunity gives students the chance to take free college classes that count toward an AA and allows them to start as juniors in a baccalaureate program after graduating high school. This past May alone, 70 teens received their Associate of Arts degree before graduating from high school. In the past five years, around 5,000 students from Volusia and Flagler Country high schools have benefitted from the program at Daytona State.<\/p>\n
But what will happen to the dual enrollment program next year?<\/p>\n
Samantha said if the program is cut, \u201cI would be willing to pay just to have the change in environment. If they canceled it all together I don\u2019t know what I would do. My classes are my favorite part of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not everyone, however, is as lucky as Samantha, who is able to pay the cost out-of-pocket. At present, Daytona State covers the majority of the cost for services associated with dual enrollment. Last spring, the state legislature voted to shift the cost to school districts. This left those districts with too little time to compensate for the change, Dr. Eaton pointed out.<\/p>\n
Working with school superintendent Margaret Smith and Janet Valentine, College officials were able to hammer out a new agreement, so dual enrollment might continue. The new contract requires that Daytona State reimburse the schools for counseling, testing, academic support, grade monitoring and eligibility assessments.<\/p>\n
Starting fall semester, some 800 Volusia County and 200 Flagler County teens are taking advantage of the program. Eleven Volusia high schools and two in Flagler are represented in those numbers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Callee Gittner In Motion Staff Writer There were lots of hushed whispers this year that the dual enrollment program was going to be cut because of budget problems. For hundreds of Volusia County teenagers, that meant not only more money spent towards their education, but more importantly, more time in Continue reading Dual Enrollment saved by bell this semester<\/span>