Legislation to expand access to college courses for public high school students passed the Alaska Senate on Wednesday, April 7, and is on its way to the House.
Senate Bill 32, sponsored by Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, would establish the Alaska Middle College Program, providing a path for school districts to partner with the University of Alaska to offer high school students the opportunity to earn dual credit.
Stevens, a retired university professor, noted that middle college programs have operated nationally for over 25 years. Several Alaska school districts are also already participating or developing middle college programs of their own, Stevens said. This bill would codify those efforts and provide a framework to scale up the programs, opening up middle college opportunities for more students statewide, he said.
To participate, students would have to be enrolled in an Alaska public school and have completed the eighth grade.
The bill would also require an annual report to the Legislature summarizing student participation, course offerings and the total number of credits earned.
