Bill
SB 22
The bill creates a no-cost Dual Credit Scholarship Program for eligible Kentucky high school students to take approved dual credit courses at participating colleges, funded and ove
SB 22 (2026 Session, Kentucky) – Summary
Purpose and overall intent
- Establishes and governs the Dual Credit Scholarship Program to promote participation in dual credit coursework for eligible Kentucky high school students at participating postsecondary institutions.
- Aims to provide dual credit opportunities at no cost to eligible students, with program funding, administration, and oversight outlined for the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) and other state education bodies.
Key provisions and changes
Definitions and scope
- Defines terms including:
- Academic term/year (fall/spring; July 1–June 30)
- Approved dual credit course (general education courses meeting statewide core standards; career/technical education (CTE) courses leading to industry credentials)
- Dual credit tuition rate ceiling (one-third of in-state per-credit-hour tuition charged by KCTCS, rounded down)
- Eligible high school student (Kentucky resident, enrolled in Kentucky high school, complete a 30-minute college success counseling session, enrolled or accepted in an approved dual credit course at a participating institution)
- Eligible registered teacher apprenticeship program (approved by the Education and Labor Cabinet; designed to prepare future educators with a path to certification/employment)
- Participating institution (meets criteria on cost, transferability, and eligibility; includes KCTCS institutions, 4-year Kentucky public institutions, or 4-year private Kentucky institutions accredited by SACS with Kentucky main campus)
- Successfully completed (both secondary and postsecondary credit earned upon completion)
Program administration and funding
- The Dual Credit Scholarship Program is created to support dual credit coursework at no cost to eligible students.
- Administered by KHEAA in consultation with the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE); regulations to be promulgated accordingly.
- A Dual Credit Scholarship Trust Fund is created in the State Treasury to finance scholarships, funded by general fund appropriations, gifts/grants, and federal funds. Balances carry forward year-to-year; investment income stays in the fund.
Scholarship awards and limits
- High schools apply to the authority for scholarship funds for each eligible student.
- Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, contingent on available funds.
- Annual per-student limits:
- For general education: up to two dual credit courses during junior/senior year
- For career/technical education: up to two dual credit courses per academic year
- Beginning with 2027-2028, eligible high school apprentices (and later, eligible youth apprentices) may receive up to 20 dual credit courses total (not exceeding 8 per academic year) that are required for admission to a teacher education program, to support initial teacher certification.
- Scholarship awards equal the participating institution’s charge for the dual credit course, up to the dual credit tuition rate ceiling per credit hour.
- Funds cannot be used for remedial or developmental coursework.
Eligibility and participation
- For teacher apprenticeship pathway:
- Students must be approved by a school district to participate as eligible high school apprentices
- Must sign a program commitment and meet ongoing requirements (coursework, GPA)
- Withdrawal or failure to meet criteria may limit eligibility; repayment provisions apply for excess scholarship amounts, with potential waivers for cause
- Districts must design programs to offer pathways to teacher certification, ensure transferability of dual credit to partner postsecondary institutions, and secure an agreement with the authority
Reporting, transparency, and accountability
- Participating institutions must provide term-by-term information to KHEAA for program administration.
- Annual program report due to the Education and Labor Cabinet, CPE president, and KDE commissioner, detailing:
- Number of students served (by district and total)
- Number of general education and CTE credits earned (by high school and total)
- By May 31 each year, the Kentucky Center for Statistics, with the authority, must publish data on academic/workforce outcomes and report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education.
Transfer and statewide pathways (amendment context)
- The accompanying House amendments (and committee substitutes) add a broader focus on statewide transfer pathways, aligned articulation, and transfer credit policies across public institutions.
- Section 2 amendments (SB 22/HCS) emphasize transfer alignment between lower-division coursework and bachelor’s degree programs, statewide course numbering, transfer pathway transparency, and an online resource for transfer information.
- Requires a study by the Council on Postsecondary Education on statewide transfer pathways, with a final report due December 1, 2026.
Who is affected
- Eligible Kentucky high school students (including eligible youth apprentices) can access dual credit scholarships.
- High schools and participating postsecondary institutions (KCTCS, public universities, and eligible private Kentucky institutions) participate and report data.
- State agencies (KHEAA, KDE, CPE, Kentucky Center for Statistics) oversee administration, policy alignment, and reporting.
Timeline and process
- Scholarships awarded on a first-come, first-served basis as funds permit.
- 2027-2028 marks the expansion to 20 total courses for eligible apprentices, subject to program design and eligibility.
- Annual reporting and data publication occur each year; transfer pathway study/report due by December 1, 2026, with ongoing implementation considerations thereafter.
Notes
- Versions: Original SB 22 and House Committee Substitute (HCS 1) plus amendments (including SFA 1, SFA 2, and title amendments) reflect iterative changes, especially around transfer pathways and GPA criteria. Final exact provisions may vary with enacted text.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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