Accelerating Concurrent Enrollment Program Modifications

Joint Budget Committee. Under current law, the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment (ASCENT) program is available to all qualified students who are designated to participate by their local education provider. The bill:

• Starting in the 2025-26 state fiscal year, caps the number of qualified students who participate in the ASCENT program at the number of qualified students who participated in the ASCENT program in the 2024-25 state fiscal year; and
• Creates additional eligibility requirements to participate in the ASCENT program.

The bill requires the department of education to submit a report to the education committees of the house and the senate and the joint budget committee regarding the ASCENT program.

Under current law, the district's total program formula includes funding for a district's extended high school pupil enrollment, determined by the district's number of pupils who are concurrently enrolled in a postsecondary course multiplied by a dollar amount that annually increases. Starting in the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the bill amends the district's extended high school funding formula to cap the dollar amount that is multiplied by the district's ASCENT program students within the district's extended high school funding formula.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)