High-schoolers leverage free-tuition programs

Oklahoma high school students are growing more savvy when it comes to earning college credit tuition-free, according to two reports presented Thursday to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

The fall 2018 preliminary enrollment report shows the number of students taking college credit courses while still in high school continues to grow.

The concurrent enrollment head count at public institutions is 10,569, an increase of 147 students from fall 2017.

The credit hours they are earning also is up by 2.4 percent to 55,235. Concurrent students on average are taking about five credit hours this semester.

The program, which began in 2005, is available to qualified juniors and seniors. Seniors can earn up to 18 credit hours tuition-free.

Concurrent enrollment was the only category in the report that showed an increase in head count from fall 2017 to fall 2018. Enrollment is down 1.8 percent at Oklahoma public colleges and universities, and down 5.2 percent at private institutions.

Regents also heard a report on the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program and approved a cost estimate of $77.3 million for 2019-20, about $500,000 more than the current fiscal year.

The scholarship pays college tuition costs for Oklahoma students who meet academic and family income requirements.

Over past several years, the number of high school students enrolling in the program has declined, but the percentage who complete the high school requirements has increased “pretty dramatically,” said Bryce Fair, associate vice chancellor for state grants and scholarships.

Graduates in 2018 had the highest completion rate in the program’s history at 73 percent, Fair said.

About 8,100 members in each of the classes of 2018 and 2019 enrolled in the program, but that is expected to rise with an increase in the family income limit from $50,000 to $55,000.

“This will be a different picture beginning next year,” Fair said. “We’re on track to see about a 10 percent increase in the number of students enrolled in the program.”

A second increase in the family income limit — to $60,000 — will apply beginning in 2021-22.

More than 80,000 Oklahoma students have received the tuition scholarship since the program began in 1992.

About 35 percent of the scholarship recipients go to regional universities, about one-third go to two-year colleges and one-fourth go to research universities. The remaining 7 percent go to a private school or CareerTech.

This will be a different picture beginning next year. We’re on track to see about a 10 percent increase in the number of students enrolled in the program.” Bryce Fair

Associate vice chancellor for state grants and scholarships