NYSED pitches unified rules on college credit in high school

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — New York State education leaders want to change how students earn college credit in high school. On Tuesday, the New York State Education Department proposed new statewide regulations to unify policies and standards for dual enrollment programs that give students a head start while finishing their high school graduation requirements.

The proposed regulations require courses to be credit-bearing, listed in the college’s course catalog, and have the same learning outcomes, content, and academic rigor as any other section of the same course offered by the college. On September 24, the State Register will publish a notice of the proposed rules on the state’s first official dual enrollment policy, kicking off a 60-day public comment period when New Yorkers can provide feedback.

Under the proposed regulations, public schools, charter schools, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services—BOCES—must create formal partnership agreement outlining the scope and terms of the program with any college they work with for dual enrollment. Agreements must establish protocols for tracking results and are supposed to strengthen relationships between K-12 schools and colleges.

Schools and colleges would have to submit data on participation by September 2026. Schools that launch new programs after that date would have to submit new agreements at least 30 days before programs begin. NYSED will create and distribute the relevant forms by January 1. Those partnership forms will require details on courses, instructors, costs, credit transferability, teaching methods, and support services for students. All participating schools have to collaborate and sign off on the forms before they’re submitted.

NYSED will publish the data they collect online every year, aggregated and stripped of identifying information so protect student privacy. And any agreements between schools would need to be updated at least every five years.

The new rules are supposed to help students who’ve historically been underserved by the status quo. According to NYSED, research shows that dual enrollment improves the rates of graduation, enrollment, and degree completion while saving time and money.

In a press release, NYSED Commissioner Betty Rosa called the regulations “equity in action” that will level the playing field by setting clear and uniform standards for all students in New York. She said that students in these programs get the chance to earn credit, gain confidence, and succeed after college.

And, “This proposal builds upon the Board’s unwavering commitment to equity and excellence,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young Jr. “With these regulations, we are rewriting the playbook to make sure dual enrollment is rigorous and informed by data.” He added that new regulations would forge “pathways to opportunity that will shape lives for generations to come.”

According to the department, New York has the third-largest number of students in these programs in the nation, though no rules have existed to maintain consistency, quality, or accountability. The proposals follow education law requirements that the governor, education commissioner, and SUNY and CUNY chancellors standardize dual enrollment.

NYSED expects to present the regulations for permanent adoption at the January 2026 Regents meeting. If adopted then, they’d take effect on January 28.