HELENA — Montana leaders say a record number of high school students have enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE).
According to the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, 3,371 students received college credit in a CTE program in 2023.
That is an increase of 600 students from 2022.
The Montana University Systems "One-Two-Free" program allows high schoolers who are eligible to take up to two dual enrollment courses, up to six credits, for free.
The growth is partly thanks to a federal waiver that allows more federal funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to be used by students and districts to support dual credit CTE programs.
And efforts by state lawmakers to expand work-based learning through three newly passed laws.
