HELENA — Montana leaders say a record number of high school students have enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE).
The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education reports that 3,371 students received college credit in a CTE program in 2023.
That marks an increase of 600 students from 2022.
The Montana University Systems "One-Two-Free" program allows high school students who are eligible to take up to two dual enrollment courses, up to six credits at no cost.
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.
Efforts by state lawmakers to expand work-based learning through three newly passed laws are also credited with boosting the CTE numbers.
