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    Background and Guidelines

    Effective with the 2022-23 school year, Pennsylvania law (24 P.S. § 15-1525) requires school entities to enter into agreements with IHEs approved to operate in Pennsylvania to allow students to earn college-level credit prior to graduating high school. These agreements are referred to as dual credit agreements because credit is earned at both the secondary school and the IHE. In accordance with section 1525 of the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. § 15-1525) all school districts, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools and regional charter schools must enter into at least one agreement with an institution of higher education (IHE) approved to operate in the commonwealth that allows secondary school students to attend the IHE while the students are enrolled in the school entity. A school entity may have agreements with more than one IHE; IHEs may have agreements with more than one school entity.

    To support school entities with meeting these requirements and to increase access to dual credit coursework statewide, the PDE Division of Instructional Quality will award up to $6.5 million in state funds to eligible school entities through a competitive grant process to create or expand dual credit programs.

    Eligibility

    Eligible proposals will focus on addressing the goal of the Dual Credit grant which is to create or expand equitable and innovative dual credit opportunities for all secondary school students, all students enrolled in the school entity, including students experiencing educational instability, students enrolled in career and technical education programs, low-income students, and historically underserved student groups. Specifically, consideration will be given to proposals that include (but are not limited to) any of the following:

    1. Creation or expansion of a dual credit program whereby secondary school students receive credits at or through an IHE approved to operate in the commonwealth and wherein credits earned by secondary school students are the same as those offered to postsecondary school students enrolled an IHE.
    2. Creation or expansion of a dual credit program whereby secondary school students may use the credits earned at an IHE toward the completion of courses required for graduation at the school entity.
    3. Creation or expansion of a dual credit program wherein courses are offered in-person, online, or a combination of in-person and online.
    4. Creation or expansion of a dual credit program wherein the school entity pays for the tuition, fees, supplies, and/or other costs related to the secondary school student's enrollment in courses at an IHE.
    5. Creation or expansion of opportunities for the school entity's teachers to become appropriately credentialed by an IHE to teach or facilitate IHE courses for secondary students, including completing coursework and/or professional development as required by an IHE for credentialing.
    6. Expansion of the number of agreements with IHEs that offer dual credit opportunities to secondary school students. Funds received through this dual credit grant may be used to offset out-of-state IHE registration and approval fees [see approval process].

    For the purposes of this grant application, expansion of a dual credit program includes, but is not limited to, the following:

    1. Increasing the number of courses offered for dual credit with an approved IHE;
    2. Increasing the number of students participating in dual credit opportunities, including students experiencing educational instability, students enrolled in career and technical education programs, low-income students, and historically underserved student groups;
    3. Augmenting the modality or location of course offerings, to include on-line courses, hybrid courses, courses at the school entity, or courses at the IHE.

    Funding

    • Eligible grantees may receive a total award amount up to $75,000 for expenditures realized between August 1, 2022, and June 30, 2024. Awards are contingent upon available funding.
    • Funds may be expended only for purposes identified in the proposal and approved by the Division of Instructional Quality. Funds expended beyond those identified and approved will not be reimbursed.
    • Applicants may request up to $75,000. The Department reserves the right not to review applications whose request exceeds $75,000.
    • Funds must be used in accordance with the criteria identified in section 1525 of the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. § 15-1525) and fulfill the requirements of the guidelines set forth in this request for application.
    • Funding is not guaranteed. All grants are competitive and reviewed based on meeting the application requirements, statutory priorities, and scoring rubrics.

    Eligible Expenses

    Due to limited funding, only items directly related to eligible programs and activities covered in this request for application will be funded by the Dual Credit grant. Grant funds paid to the school entity may not be used for direct salaries or fringe benefits. All budgets will be reviewed to evaluate appropriateness and connection to proposed grant activities and goals.

    Award and Disbursement of Funds

    Grant awards are projected to be announced in March 2023. Grantees will subsequently be required to sign a grant agreement with the Division of Instructional Quality. Expenditures to be reimbursed under the grant will be retroactive to August 1, 2022. All grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2024.

    The PDE Division of Instructional Quality will seek repayment of funds if it determines that funds were not utilized for the original stated and approved purpose. All unused grant funds must be returned to the Division of Instructional Quality with the final report.

    ​Frequently Asked Questions

    ​For the purposes of this grant, eligible applicants are Pennsylvania school entities as defined in section 1525 of the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. § 15-1525): school districts, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools, or regional charter schools with secondary students. Only one proposal will be accepted from each school entity.

    ​The PDE Division of Instructional Quality will allocate up to $6.5 million in state funds to eligible school entities through a competitive grant process to fund the creation or expansion of dual credit programs meeting the guidelines listed in the RFA. Eligible grantees may receive a total award amount up to $75,000 for expenditures realized between August 2022 and June 30, 2024.

    ​No, consortia grants are not permitted under this grant opportunity.

    ​Participating school entities must have at least one agreement with an institution of higher education (IHE) approved to operate in the Commonwealth that allows secondary school students to attend the IHE while the students are enrolled in the secondary school entity.

    ​No, grant funds must be used to create a new program or expand an existing program. Funds cannot be used to supplant existing programs.

    No, if school entities have an existing program and partner (e.g., a local community college), the entity does not need to find a new university or college partner.

    However, the existing program must be expanded in some way to be eligible for grant funding, such as moving into additional course areas or targeting new student groups.

    For the purposes of this grant application, expansion of a dual credit program includes, but is not limited to:

    • Increasing the number of courses offered for dual credit with an approved IHE;
    • Increasing the number or type of students permitted to participate in dual credit opportunities; or
    • Augmenting the modality or location of course offerings to include online courses, hybrid courses, courses at the school entity, or courses at the IHE.

    ​For the purposes of this grant, examples of "modality" include face-to-face, virtual asynchronous, virtual synchronous, and hybrid courses.

    ​If the out-of-state IHE has PDE approval to operate in the Commonwealth, that partner may be included as part of the grant application.

    ​The school entity may pay for the tuition, fees, supplies, and/or other costs related to the secondary school student's enrollment in courses at an IHE, including any wraparound support services offered at either campus. Funds may also cover opportunities for the school entity's educators to become appropriately credentialed by an IHE to teach or facilitate IHE courses for secondary students, including completing coursework and/or participating in professional development as required by an IHE for credentialing.

    ​No, salaries/benefits may not be supplanted with these funds. However, related stipends may be included in the grant applications.

    Describe the school entity's current dual credit program by including:

    • The number, form, function, modality, location, etc.;
    • The approximate number of students served;
    • The number of school entity teachers currently facilitating dual credit courses; and
    • Any program parameters (example: only students with a GPA greater than 3.0 are eligible to participate).

    Describe the school entity's proposed dual credit program plans by including:

    • The proposed changes to the dual credit program's number, form, function, modality, location, etc.;
    • The estimated number of students the expanded program will serve;
    • The estimated number of school entity teachers that will facilitate dual credit courses; and
    • Any new or changed program parameters.

    ​For the purposes of this grant, "current program" is defined as how the program existed in the 2021-2022 school year, but the "proposed program" would be implemented between August 1, 2022, and June 30, 2024

    ​The school entity should determine the changes it expects to see as a result of implementing the proposed dual credit program. The school entity should then describe how the administration will measure its success in reaching those expectations.

    School entities interested in applying must first indicate their interest between Friday, February 16, 2023, and Friday, February 24, 2023, by completing the form located online. The application submission window in eGrants will open at 12:00 AM on Monday, February 27, 2023, and will close at 11:59 PM on Friday, March 10, 2023 for eligible school entities.

    Grant awards are expected to be announced in March 2023. Expenditures to be reimbursed under the grant will be retroactive to August 1, 2022. All grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2024, with a final report due by July 30, 2024.

    Successful proposals will focus on addressing the goal of the Dual Credit grant, which is to create or expand equitable and innovative dual credit opportunities for secondary school students. Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis by a team selected by PDE's Division of Instructional Quality. Reviewers will look for alignment of goals and objectives, clarity of narrative, expansion of dual credit opportunities, correlation of detailed budget information, viability of expected outcomes, and accuracy of information provided.

    ​The following criteria will be evaluated to rank and score applications: Goals and Objectives, Proposal Narrative, Budget Information, and Expected Program Outcomes and Assessment.

    ​All requests for changes to the approved grants and budgets must be submitted to and approved by the Division of Instructional Quality in writing no later than June 30, 2023. The Division of Instructional Quality must approve any program changes, or the grant will be rescinded.

    ​Contact the Division of Instructional Quality at RA-EDInstructionalQuality@pa.gov for technical assistance or with questions related to the grant application. Questions related to eGrants should be addressed to ra-edgranthelp@pa.gov.

    Secondary schools with at least 35% of students from low-income families are encouraged to apply, especially if their grant targets this group of students. In addition, school entities are encouraged to incorporate Open Educational Resources (OER) as part of their dual credit programs. The extent of tuition discounting by the IHE is also a factor for consideration. Finally, involving IHEs that have obtained or are pursuing National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) accreditation is encouraged. NACEP standards are measurable criteria that address quality in concurrent enrollment (College in the High School) and college-provided faculty model programs.

    ​As per existing state law, if the student and/or parent pays for the tuition, fees, or books in their dual credit program, then the school entity must adjust its ADM on a pro rata basis. The location of the course or the employment of the instructor is inconsequential. School entities that offer students enrollment in their dual credit program and pay for the tuition, fees, and books on behalf of students may continue to include the students in their ADM. Please contact RA-CAD@pa.gov if you have additional questions. See 22 Pa. Code § 11.5 for additional information.

    Technical Assistance

    Contact the Division of Instructional Quality at RA-EDInstQuality@pa.gov for technical assistance or with questions related to the grant application.