Thousands of Colorado kids turn to concurrent enrollment as college tuition rises
share
AURORA — Carlos Robles only attends one class at his high school, Aurora West College Preparatory School. The rest of his time is spent at Community College of Aurora, or CCA.
“I feel like I’m used to the college world,” said Robles, 18. “[College] is more big on you taking responsibility for your homework, your assignments and just yourself overall.”
With rising college costs, Robles, along with nearly 40,000 other Colorado students, have turned to concurrent enrollment to earn college credit at no cost to them or their families.
The Colorado legislature passed the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act in 2009. Since then, many school districts in Colorado — including Aurora Public Schools (APS) — have partnered with local colleges and universities to offer post-secondary coursework to high school students.
APS partners with Pickens Technical College, Metropolitan State University of Denver and CCA, where Robles studies.
In concurrent enrollment, students take classes on their high school campus with approved teachers who teach both college-level courses and high-school courses. Some students shift over to classes on college campuses as they get further into the program.
“It’s much more self-paced. High school classes were more structured, but I prefer college classes more,” said Robles.
Edgar Camacho Moreno, 17, attends Aurora West College Preparatory School and also has been in the concurrent enrollment program since his sophomore year. He’s a senior now, and he’s on track to graduate with his Associate of Arts this spring.
This means that Camacho Moreno could transfer his credits to a four-year university and receive his bachelor’s degree in less time.
“This whole time I’ve been really grateful to get two years off [of college], earn my degree faster and pay much less,” said Camacho Moreno.
A single credit hour at CCA costs $285.10. When budgeting for 60 credit hours, students can expect to pay at least $17,000 to earn their associate’s degree at CCA, not including fees and other costs.
Robles hasn’t had to pay for any of his classes. Because of concurrent enrollment, high school students involved in the program can take classes at the partnered institutions and the school districts pick up the cost.
“It’s been a lot easier financial-wise for my parents,” said Robles. “My parents don’t have to stress or worry about having to pay for anything extra as they know I can go to college and get ahead of my education.”
Tuition in Colorado has increased on average by 3% every year. Currently, Colorado residents pay an average of $12,000 for annual tuition at CU undergraduate schools.
Robles attends Vista Peak Preparatory in Aurora, but since his junior year of high school, his main coursework has been off-campus at Community College of Aurora.
“I’m so young, and I take advantage of the fact that I can miss out on some [high school] stuff. I’d rather work hard now and not miss stuff later in life,” said Robles sitting in the administrative building at CCA.
Robles is following in the footsteps of his older sister, Valerie, who participated in concurrent enrollment when she was in high school. She currently attends the University of Colorado Denver, pursuing a degree in accounting and management.
“It made [concurrent enrollment] so much easier knowing I had someone who went through it already,” said Robles. “I saw what the credits did for her and it helped me take that step earlier and see it through.”
Through the program, students are able to take as many credits as they like, with some students graduating high school with a high school diploma and an associate degree.
“That’s my sister actually. Right there on the wall,” said Robles, pointing to a picture of Valerie in a CCA cap and gown when she received her associate degree.
Robles is hoping to pursue lighting design in college and plans to attend MSU Denver.
Nicole Banks, concurrent enrollment specialist at APS, said it’s always important to help students navigate through enrolling in college courses. Students have to take 60 college credits to obtain their associate degree.
“It’s a great opportunity, but we want to help mix and match between the high school and college realm so that students can work towards both graduations,” Banks said.
Banks said that high school counselors are crucial to students' success. Last year, CCA piloted a summer academy with high school counselors, training them to be college advisors who can speak to students about financial aid, transcripts, and degree programs.
In 2024, 76 students in APS graduated with their associate degrees and high school diplomas.
“We’re really working on building towards a college completion culture and providing students those opportunities through many schools,” said Michelle Pacheco, dean of concurrent enrollment at CCA.
Pacheco said that concurrent enrollment students make up over 60% of CCA's overall enrollment — 9,545 students — for the Spring 2025 semester.
Pacheco said that CCA conducted a program review, including conversations with students, to offer educational pathways that aligned with the needs of the current industry and workforce.
A bachelor of science in nursing and a bachelor of applied science in behavioral health were ultimately decided on. CCA plans to launch these pathways in the fall of 2025.
Students would be able to continue in the program, earn their associate degree and transfer their credits to CCA as they work toward a bachelor’s degree.
“As long as we are able to retain and hire qualified instructors, and they have an interest in teaching where there's a need for it, we hope that the programs will continue to expand,” Banks said.
As Camacho Moreno approaches graduation, he’s weighing his options of attending the University of Colorado Boulder or attending a college out of state. He credits concurrent enrollment allowing him to weigh options as he doesn’t have to commit to a full four-year education.
On May 10, Camacho Moreno, Robles and many other concurrent enrollment students will attend the CCA commencement, officially earning their associate degrees. On May 19, Camacho Moreno will graduate from high school while Robles will graduate on May 20.
Camacho Moreno has many hopes of what he wants to pursue, but right now he’s thinking about going to law school to become an immigration lawyer.
He grew up in Northwest Aurora and saw his neighborhood raided by ICE and neighbors struggling to learn how to navigate immigration in the United States.
“Through my education with high school and CCA, I’ve been able to write essays and speeches about the overall system and how it’s oppressive to immigrants,” he said. “That’s led me to think about how I can help others navigate this system.”
“How can I help protect and represent people in Northwest Aurora because I’ve grown up with them?”
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
To read more about why you can trust the journalism of Rocky Mountain PBS, please visit our editorial standards and practices page.