By Shinika Sykes
The Salt Lake Tribune

The state's colleges are backing a new bill they say would help pay for concurrent enrollment programs they are now forced to subsidize.

Since 1988, a state law has allowed high school students to earn both high school units and college credits at their high schools or on college campuses.

Utah's concurrent enrollment statute provides funding for the program up to $50 per credit hour. The Legislature, however, currently allocates only $30 per credit hour, $20 of which goes to public education because 80 percent of the students take the college courses at their high schools.

The colleges, which provide the course materials, books and sometimes online courses over the Utah Education Network, get $10 per credit hour even though their actual cost is at least $20 per credit hour.

The subsidy is problematic because concurrent enrollment has become so popular. Brad Cook of Utah Valley State College estimates his school subsidizes 25,000 students.

HB151, unveiled Monday by Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, would implement a fee to provide more funding for concurrent enrollment. Her measure aims to:

• Charge a one-time admissions application fee, up to $30, for each higher education course for which a student receives college credit.
• Modify the annual funds distribution between public schools and colleges.
• Ensure the instructor is approved as an adjunct college faculty and supervised by the university.