The experienced educators in the high school classroom are almost always more qualified to teach concurrent enrollment courses as those at the university level are mostly TAs, young, busy with their own grad degrees, and inexperienced in the teaching field.

As usual, the debate is about $$$$.

Mr. Florez nailed it. These classes are a godsend (and not just for small schools), but they'll tragically disappear if our lawmakers and sponsoring schools aren't committed to continuing them.

It's a turf war pure and simple. The colleges are afraid that someone will detract from "their empire".

I teach at a community college in texas. Last semester, I taught four dual credit classes in economics at three local high schools. Our dual credit classes are similar to the CE classes.

I believe that both dollars and qualifications of teachers are important. I hold a Ph.D. in agaricultural economics, and anyone teaching a dual credit class must have at least 18 units of graduate education in the subject they teach. It has been my experience that enthusiasm for teaching does not substitute well for knowledge of subject.

I will not pretend to understand Utah's program well, but in Texas, we offer good, low cost courses that allow high school students to get a jump on college classes--classes that are in every way equivalent to classes that would take at a major university. As an additional bonus, our college instructors generally teach at the students' high schools, saving tons of driving for students.