Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann and Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz testified before the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a regional accreditation organization. Their testimony expressed concerns about proposed guidelines for teachers of dual-credit classes in Indiana’s high schools. These concerns were also expressed in a letter to HLC co-signed by Ellspermann, Ritz, Commissioner of Higher Education Teresa Lubbers and Vice Chair of the State Board of Education Sarah O’Brien. Dual-credit classes taken in high school earn college credits for those students.
Ellspermann emphasized that dual-credit classes were important to the state’s workforce development efforts. She noted, “Dual credit courses are critical to achieving Indiana’s goal of 60 percent of our workforce having postsecondary degrees or certifications by 2025. We are concerned about any requirements that would limit our abilities to provide dual-credit classes to all Hoosier high school students given the successful results of those dual-credit courses with our current teacher requirements.”
Ritz noted Indiana schools now offer more than 3,400 dual-credit classes taught by 2,908 teachers. In Indiana, each school corporation must offer a minimum of two dual-credit courses for their students, however some corporations offer as many as 63 unique courses in one building.
HLC issued a report that ranked Indiana second highest in the nation with respect to the factors that promote quality dual-credit courses.
