District 196 high school students who challenged themselves by taking College in the Schools (CIS) courses during the 2023-24 school year earned a combined 3,966 college credits valued at more than $3.1 million, according to a report released by the University of Minnesota’s College in the Schools program.
In addition to saving future tuition dollars, the research is clear that when students challenge themselves by taking college-level courses in high school, they are more likely to graduate high school and complete a post-secondary degree. According to the report, 97% of former students surveyed would recommend College in Schools to high school students; 93% - 97% rated their overall experience as good or excellent, and 84% felt better prepared academically for college due to participating in College in Schools.
Students who participate in the College in the Schools program earn college credits for taking college-level courses offered at their high school in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Last year, 783 students from the five District 196 high schools registered for at least one College in Schools course. Students of color represented 44% of high school enrollment in District 196 last year and accounted for 42% of the registrations in College in Schools courses.
The 783 participating students in District 196 registered for 1,292 CIS courses in the 2023-24 school year. Rosemount High School led with 413 course registrations, Eastview High School had 330, Apple Valley High School had 283, Eagan High School had 242, and the School of Environmental Studies had 24. Ninety-four percent of all registrations resulted in a grade of C or better to earn college credit. The credits earned are highly transferable to other colleges and universities.
At the 2023-24 U of M tuition rate of $557.55 per credit, the 3,966 credits District 196 students earned last year are valued at $3,094,402. The school district paid the university $187,340 ($145 per course) for the students to take these college-credit courses at their high schools last year and received $67,920 in state aid ($52.57 per registration) to help cover the cost of this benefit for families.
College in Schools courses introduce high school students to college-level rigor and provide students the opportunity to earn college credit while attending high school. Advanced Placement (AP) courses, AP exams, and concurrent enrollment offer the same rigor and college credit opportunities.