Share This Article
Concurrent enrollment at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home has surged 22 percent this year as more high school students take advantage of college courses, though the popular program creates financial challenges for the institution, Chancellor Bentley Wallace said last week.
Speaking at the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce’s State of Education Breakfast Tuesday, Wallace celebrated the growth while explaining the complex economics of concurrent credit, which allows high school students to earn college credit through courses taught at their schools or on the ASU-Mountain Home campus.
“We want every one of those kids who says, ‘I want to take a college class while I’m in high school, get to my certificate or degree sooner,’ we want them to do that,” Wallace said. “We’re committed to that, and we’re going to make it happen.”
The program’s popularity comes with a catch. The state’s Access scholarship covers tuition for high school students at reduced rates, meaning the college teaches these courses at a loss.
Additionally, when students arrive at ASU-Mountain Home after graduation, they need fewer credit hours to complete degrees, having already earned credits at the discounted rate.
“We lose money teaching it,” Wallace acknowledged. “If a student takes 12 or 15 or 20 hours of concurrent while they’re in high school at that reduced rate at loss, we don’t get to sell them that class when they become a college student.”
Still, Wallace said the institution views concurrent enrollment as an investment in student success and community development, with the program proven to increase college-going rates among high school graduates.
Beyond concurrent enrollment challenges, the chancellor highlighted the critical role of financial aid in making college accessible. He noted that 83 percent of ASU-Mountain Home students receive some form of federal or state grant or scholarship, with 74 percent receiving refunds after paying tuition and fees.
That money helps cover housing, transportation, childcare, books and other living expenses.
Last fall alone, $787,000 in Pell Grants flowed to students at ASU-Mountain Home, enabling many to attend college who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Wallace expressed concern about potential federal changes that could affect these programs, noting that disruptions like the FAFSA system failure 18 months ago caused a 5 percent nationwide decline in college enrollment.
“Were it not for Title IV funds, those Pell Grants flowing to our students, we’d stop. There is no way that our colleges survive without Title IV funding,” he said.
While funding remains a concern, Wallace welcomed Arkansas’s move toward a new higher education funding model based on return on investment, which measures how quickly graduates earn more than those with only high school diplomas.
“We’re happy to be measured on that because it only takes about four years, even if you count lost wages due to the time that you’re in college,” Wallace said. Community college graduates typically surpass high school graduates’ earnings by age 23 or 24.
The focus on return on investment aligns with ASU-Mountain Home’s mission of providing “credentials of value” that meet workforce needs. Wallace said employer input in program development is important to ensure students graduate with skills that translate directly to available jobs.
Wallace positioned education as the key to regional economic growth, noting that while only 26 percent of Arkansans have a bachelor’s degree or higher, placing the state near the bottom nationally, the quality of education provided in the state is strong.
“If we’re going to change the regional economy in North Central Arkansas, if we’re going to change the economy of Arkansas and the entire South Central region of the United States, it’s about per capita income,” Wallace said. “The only way for your salary to go up, the most reliable is to get that career and experience of learning.”
He called on local employers to become partners in education by supporting adult learners, allowing employees to attend school during work hours, and helping with tuition costs. The college is developing more short-term training opportunities to attract underemployed adults back to education.
Despite operating without new state funding increases for more than 20 years, ASU-Mountain Home continues to expand its offerings and maintain affordable tuition rates. The institution operates on a $12 million budget, with approximately $3.5 million coming from state funding.
Wallace noted that while Arkansas hasn’t cut higher education funding like many surrounding states, the lack of new investment over two decades creates ongoing challenges that require creative solutions and strong community partnerships.
The chancellor said the college’s commitment to concurrent enrollment and other access programs remains strong, even as administrators work with state officials to address the funding disparities these programs create.
“We support our K-12 districts,” Wallace said. “We want every one of those kids to have these opportunities.”
