Athens Reporter

The Joint Study Committee on Dual Enrollment for Highly Skilled Talent at Younger Ages, chaired by State Representative Matt Dubnik and State Senator Matt Brass, has finalized key recommendations for enhancing Georgia's dual enrollment program. This decision was made during their recent meeting at the State Capitol, aiming to simplify access and provide greater educational opportunities for students.

The Georgia General Assembly's joint study committee on Dual Enrollment for Highly Skilled Talent at Younger Ages recently made its final recommendations after a period of studying existing dual enrollment opportunities for students in Georgia. The committee concluded that there is a need to enhance awareness of dual enrollment opportunities and career pathways, especially among middle school counselors who are currently less exposed to these programs. They emphasized the importance of educating middle school counselors and local school systems about dual enrollment to expose younger students to such opportunities. Additionally, the committee highlighted the necessity of increased investments in Georgia's dual enrollment program, suggesting more funding for instructors and counselors, and stressed the importance of ongoing analysis to align the program with workforce needs and student participation effectively.

In a press release, State Representative Matt Dubnik expressed his pride in the committee's work and thanked his fellow committee members. He said, "I am extremely proud of the important work this study committee accomplished over the past several months. Through hours of public testimony and in-depth discussions, this committee was able to identify the ways in which Georgia’s dual enrollment program prospers, as well as areas of the program that could benefit from improvement. As chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and a member of the House Committee on Education, I am a long-time advocate for the education sector in Georgia and was honored to serve as co-chair of this distinguished study committee. I want to thank my co-chairman State Senator Matt Brass and my fellow study committee members for their dedicated efforts to enhance Georgia’s dual enrollment program and look forward to seeing these recommendations be put into action in the near future."

During their study, the committee identified various areas for improvement in Georgia's dual enrollment program and categorized recommendations into simplification, education, and investment. They noted complexities in defining "high demand careers" and a lack of accessible information about dual enrollment, CTAE courses, and accelerated pathways for students and parents. To address these issues, the committee suggested streamlining the program, defining "high demand careers" clearly, and removing limits imposed by a sunset provision in Senate Bill 86, which had established a three-year pilot program for eligible dual enrollment students to access HOPE Grant funds.

According to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, Georgia's Dual Enrollment program lets high school students (9th – 12th grade) earn college credit as they work towards their high school diploma, covering tuition, mandatory fees, and textbooks. The aim of Dual Enrollment is to boost college access and completion, preparing students for a successful entry into the workforce.

The joint study committee suggested increasing investments in Georgia’s dual enrollment program to sustain its proven success. They proposed additional funding for Technical College System of Georgia instructors and school counselors, emphasizing the need for ongoing analysis to assess workforce needs, coursework relevance, labor market demands, and student engagement effectively.

Representative Matt Dubnik, who was elected in 2016 to represent District 29 covering portions of Hall County, currently serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and is a member of various other committees.