Guides · State programs · By FastTrack Advising

Dual and Concurrent Enrollment in Wyoming: the Education Options Program, explained for parents

Published September 18, 2026

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Wyoming dual and concurrent enrollment is free to families. Under W.S. 21-20-201 a community college or the University of Wyoming may not directly assess or collect a fee from a participating student for textbooks, materials, student services, or anything else. Districts sign agreements with the colleges, and from 2026-27 the state reimburses them.

Who: Students resident in a district that holds an agreement with a Wyoming community college or the University of Wyoming
Cost: No charge for textbooks, materials, student services, or any other fee, under W.S. 21-20-201
Concurrent enrollment: Taught at the high school by a college-approved high school teacher
Dual enrollment: Taught by college instructors on campus, at an outreach center, or online
Where: Eight community colleges offer both; the University of Wyoming offers dual enrollment only
New money: 2026 Senate File 81 created a reimbursement program of up to $10 million a year for districts, from 2026-27

What the statute forbids the college from charging

W.S. 21-20-201 requires a district's board of trustees and a community college district board or the University of Wyoming to enter into an agreement letting resident students attend postsecondary programs. The financial rule sits in the same section: the university or community college shall not directly assess and collect any fee from the participating student for textbooks, materials, student services or any other fees.

Textbooks and materials purchased under the established fees are then handled inside the agreement between the college and the district. The Wyoming Community College Commission states the legislative intent plainly, that there is no cost to the student or their family, and the state student handbook repeats it in the second person, that a student or their parents cannot be charged for or required to pay for textbooks, materials, student services or any other fees.

A student who completes a course receives academic credit from the resident school district counting toward its graduation requirements, plus postsecondary credit. The district may also provide transportation between the high school and where the program is offered, when the distance is reasonable.

Concurrent enrollment and dual enrollment are different rooms

Concurrent enrollment is taught at the high school by a high school teacher the college has approved. Dual enrollment is taught by college instructors, on campus, at an outreach center, or through distance learning. Both award high school and college credit, and the handbook holds both to the same objectives and performance standards as the on-campus version of the course.

Eight Wyoming community colleges offer both: Casper College, Central Wyoming College, Eastern Wyoming College, Gillette College, Laramie County Community College, Northwest College, Sheridan College, and Western Wyoming College. The University of Wyoming offers dual enrollment only.

Eight is the right number, and the Community College Commission is the page to trust for it. The Department of Education still describes seven, which is the count before Gillette College became a community college district of its own rather than a campus of the Northern Wyoming Community College District. Gillette is still finishing the accreditation that goes with that: the Higher Learning Commission granted it candidacy status on June 25, 2026, and until it holds its own accreditation its academic programs stay covered by Northern Wyoming's. The practical effect for a family is none at the point of enrolling, and it is worth knowing whose accreditation a transcript carries if the credit has to travel out of state. Take the roster from the Commission, and take the course list from the college your district holds the agreement with.

The money changed in 2026

For most of the program's life the state funded none of this directly. Districts and colleges carried the cost inside their agreements, which is why access has varied from district to district since the enabling legislation passed in 1995.

2026 Senate File 81 created a dual enrollment reimbursement program worth up to $10 million a year, under which the Wyoming Department of Education reimburses school districts for expenditures related to dual enrollment courses under W.S. 21-20-201. It applies from school year 2026-27.

The rules are still being written. The Department of Education opened public comment on the Chapter 58 rules for the reimbursement program through 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2026, so the mechanics a district will follow are not final yet. What we tell families in Wyoming is to ask the district what it expects to claim this year, because a district that has been rationing seats may stop.

Which grades, and what permission is needed

Eighth graders can participate after choosing a Career Pathway. Ninth and tenth graders are eligible with the permission of a parent and a high school official. Juniors and seniors need parent permission and have to meet the course prerequisites.

No statewide GPA cut is written into the program. The academic standard is the course's own, and the handbook states that students in concurrent and dual enrollment courses are expected to accomplish the same objectives or performance standards as college students taking the course on campus.

Twelve credits is the working target

The state's stated goal is for students to complete at least 12 college credits while still in high school, which is roughly four three-credit courses. That is a target rather than a cap, and the handbook sets no semester limit.

Twelve is also a useful planning number for a family. It is enough to clear a semester of general education at most Wyoming institutions without turning a high school schedule into a college schedule, and it leaves room to stop if a first course goes badly.

The transcript is permanent, and the aid clock starts

Opening a college transcript opens an official, legal document that becomes the student's permanent record. Grades earned at 16 sit on it next to grades earned at 25.

It also starts a financial aid clock. The handbook points out that federal aid requires a 2.0 GPA and a 67 percent course completion rate, and that failing grades can affect eligibility for activities and for financial aid when the student enters college. Withdrawal deadlines belong to the college calendar rather than the high school one, so a student who stops attending without filing the paperwork takes the grade.

One course in a strong subject during a first term is the conservative way in. It keeps a poor fit from following the student into their college aid eligibility.

Questions to ask your counselor

Bring these to the first meeting. The answers decide most of the plan.

Which college does our district hold the agreement with, and what is on this year's course list?
Is this course concurrent enrollment here, or dual enrollment at the college?
Does the district expect to claim state reimbursement this year, and does that open more seats?
Who supplies the textbook for this course, and is anything billed to us?
What is the college's withdrawal deadline for this term, and who tells us it is coming?

Frequently asked

Is dual enrollment free in Wyoming?

Yes. W.S. 21-20-201 bars a community college or the University of Wyoming from directly assessing and collecting a fee from a participating student for textbooks, materials, student services or any other fees, and the Community College Commission states the legislative intent as no cost to the student or their family.

What is the difference between dual and concurrent enrollment in Wyoming?

Concurrent enrollment is a college course taught at the high school by a college-approved high school teacher. Dual enrollment is taught by a college instructor at a campus, an outreach center, or online. Both carry high school and college credit.

What grades can do dual enrollment in Wyoming?

Eighth graders after choosing a Career Pathway, ninth and tenth graders with parent and high school official permission, and juniors and seniors with parent permission who meet the course prerequisites. No statewide GPA cut applies.

Which Wyoming colleges offer dual enrollment?

All eight community colleges, Casper, Central Wyoming, Eastern Wyoming, Gillette, Laramie County, Northwest, Sheridan, and Western Wyoming, offer both dual and concurrent enrollment. The University of Wyoming offers dual enrollment only. The Department of Education page that says seven predates Gillette becoming its own district.

Is Wyoming paying districts for dual enrollment now?

From school year 2026-27. 2026 Senate File 81 set up a reimbursement program of up to $10 million a year for district spending on dual enrollment courses under W.S. 21-20-201. The Department of Education's Chapter 58 rules were still in public comment in September 2026.

How many college credits should a Wyoming student aim for?

The state handbook sets the goal at completing at least 12 college credits while in high school, about four three-credit courses. There is no statewide semester cap, so the practical limit is what the district agreement and the high school schedule allow.

Sources

Wyoming Statutes § 21-20-201 · the required district and college agreement, the bar on assessing fees, textbooks handled inside the agreement, graduation credit, transportation, and annual reporting
Wyoming Community College Commission, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment · the definitions, the eight community colleges, the University of Wyoming offering dual enrollment only, and the no-cost legislative intent
Student Handbook, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment, Wyoming Community College Commission · the 1995 legislation, grade-level permissions, the 12-credit goal, the no-charge rule in plain terms, the 2.0 GPA and 67 percent completion aid standard, and the permanent transcript
Wyoming Department of Education, Dual and Concurrent · the state page description of the program and the seven-college figure still published there
County 17, "Gillette College moves closer to full accreditation," July 2, 2026 · Higher Learning Commission candidacy granted June 25, 2026, with programs still covered by the Northern Wyoming Community College District accreditation
Wyoming Department of Education, public comment on the Dual Enrollment District Reimbursement Program Chapter 58 rules · the rules still being written and the September 27, 2026 comment deadline
Legislative Service Office, 2026 K-12 School Finance End of Session Summary · 2026 Senate File 81, the $10 million dual enrollment reimbursement program for district expenditures under W.S. 21-20-201, and the 2026-27 start

Rules change. These were checked September 2026. Confirm the current version with your school before you act on any of it.

About FastTrack Advising

FastTrack Advising. FastTrack Advising works on dual enrollment and nothing else. We help families choose college courses a high schooler can take now that will still count toward the degree later, we check every course against the transfer rules of the colleges they name, and we stay in the picture through registration so the plan gets used. When the answer for a student is to wait a term, we say that too.

Other state programs

All state programs

PSEO (Minnesota) Free tuition, books, and required fees for 10th through 12th graders, with a May 30 notice deadline that many families miss.
Running Start (Washington) Tuition-free college courses for juniors and seniors at Washington's community and technical colleges and a few universities. Families still pay fees and books, and the student gets to campus on their own.
College Credit Plus (Ohio) Open to 7th through 12th graders, free at Ohio public colleges for public school students, with an April 1 letter of intent and a 30-credit annual cap.
Dual credit (Texas) Each college sets its rate and each district decides how much to cover. Students who qualified for free or reduced lunch in the last five years pay nothing at colleges in the FAST program.
Dual enrollment (Florida) Tuition-free by state law, with a 3.0 unweighted GPA and a qualifying PERT, SAT, or ACT score to get in. Public school students get textbooks covered too.
Dual enrollment (California) Community college courses for 9th through 12th graders through a district partnership called CCAP, with no enrollment fees and no textbook costs, capped at 15 units a term.
Dual Enrollment (Georgia) State funding covers tuition, fees, and books for 30 semester hours, mostly for juniors and seniors. After 30 hours the family pays the college's rate, and ninth graders are outside the program entirely.
Career & College Promise (North Carolina) Tuition paid by the state at community colleges for juniors and seniors with a 2.8 unweighted GPA. Whether the district covers fees and books, and who drives, varies by district.
Concurrent Enrollment (Colorado) Open to 9th through 12th graders with an approved academic plan. The district pays tuition at the community college rate; books and fees are usually the family's, and so is getting to campus.
Dual credit (Illinois) Governed by the Dual Credit Quality Act and a model agreement between each district and college. Whether your teen pays depends on that agreement.
Early College Credit and Start College Now (Wisconsin) Two programs, one for the technical colleges and one for universities, both for juniors and seniors. The district pays most or all of the tuition, and applications are due March 1 for fall and October 1 for spring.
Dual credit (Indiana) Every Indiana high school has to offer dual credit. Priority courses at public colleges cost at most $25 a credit hour, and nothing for students on free or reduced lunch.
Dual enrollment (Michigan) Grades 9 through 12, for courses the high school doesn't offer. The district pays tuition up to a state-set share; anything above it, plus books, is yours. Ten courses across high school.
Dual Enrollment (Alabama) Rising 10th through 12th graders with a 2.5 GPA, at $133 a credit hour plus fees, with a state scholarship that covers some courses when the legislature funds it. No credit cap at all.
Dual Enrollment (Tennessee) The lottery-funded Dual Enrollment Grant pays up to $620.55 for each of the first five courses, then much less. One June 30 application covers the whole academic year.
Dual enrollment (Pennsylvania) Every school entity has to hold at least one dual credit agreement, and none of them has to pay for the courses. The agreement states the cost, and published rates run from $83.50 to $230 a credit.
Dual enrollment (Virginia) Juniors and seniors at the community colleges. Courses on a College and Career Ready Virginia pathway cost the family nothing, and courses outside it are billed at the college rate.
Dual enrollment (Arizona) A community college course taught inside the high school during the school day. Concurrent enrollment is the separate arrangement where the student goes to the college. Price is set district by district.
Dual enrollment (South Carolina) College courses through the state's 16 technical colleges, priced by each college and district, with Lottery Tuition Assistance covering part of the tuition once a student carries six credit hours in a term.
Dual enrollment (Louisiana) A Board of Regents floor for eligibility, four ways to clear it, and a bill the district assembles out of state and federal funds. TOPS Tech Early Start covers career courses for juniors and seniors.
Dual enrollment (Maryland) The Blueprint moved the bill off families for students who meet the College and Career Readiness Standard, and set a floor of two covered courses each fall and spring. Counties add their own terms on top.
Concurrent Enrollment (Utah) College courses for $5 a credit hour, taught mostly inside the high school by a college-approved teacher. Each college sets its own admission bar, and books are still yours.
Concurrent Enrollment (Oklahoma) Juniors and seniors get tuition waived by the State Regents, 18 credit hours a year for seniors and 9 for juniors. Fees and books stay with the family, and each college sets its own entrance bar.
Dual enrollment (New York) No single statewide program. CUNY's College Now is free for New York City public school students, SUNY campuses price their own, and a new state rule makes districts file their partnership agreements in 2026.
Dual enrollment (Massachusetts) Two state programs. CDEP waives tuition and fees at public campuses for eligible high schoolers, mostly in the spring, and designated Early College builds the courses into the school day at no cost.
Concurrent Enrollment (Iowa) College courses run through a district contract with a community college, at no tuition cost to the family. Iowa also runs PSEO, and the two programs treat a failed course differently.
Concurrent Credit (Arkansas) State policy bars a college from billing the family for tuition, fees, or materials on a concurrent credit course. A 2025 scholarship replaced the old Concurrent Challenge grant and pays $65 a credit hour.
Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit (Mississippi) Mississippi separates the two terms in statute. Dual enrollment earns college credit only; dual credit earns high school credit too, and the distinction decides whether the course helps your teen graduate.
Dual Enrollment (Nebraska) Nebraska has no single statewide program, so the price depends on which college your high school partners with. The ACE scholarship covers tuition and mandatory fees for students who qualify on income.
Dual Credit (New Mexico) A statewide program where the college charges no tuition and the school district buys the books. Families pay special course fees and transportation, and the guidance is two courses a semester until graduation requirements are done.
Early College (Maine) Maine pays college tuition for high schoolers through the Aspirations Program, and the class of 2027 forward gets 18 tuition-free credits for the whole of high school.
Dual and Concurrent Enrollment (New Hampshire) The state and the community colleges cover two courses a year for students in grades 10 through 12, and most of those courses are taught inside the high school.
Dual Enrollment (Vermont) Two vouchers, each covering tuition on a college course of up to four credits, for any Vermont student who has finished grade 10, including home study students.
Dual credit (West Virginia) A state-funded pilot pays tuition and academic fees for courses on approved career pathways, for public, private, charter, microschool, learning pod, and homeschool students alike.
Dual enrollment (Delaware) No statewide program makes it free. State regulation puts the policy on every district and charter, bars turning a student away over money, and most courses run through Delaware Tech.
Dual enrollment (New Jersey) No statewide free tuition. Public colleges must sign dual enrollment agreements and districts choose whether to join, so the price and the eligibility rules come from your own county college.
Dual enrollment (Connecticut) A board policy rather than a statute sets the rules. Concurrent credit courses are capped at $50 a credit, CT State covers two courses a semester for qualifying juniors and seniors, and UConn ECE has run since 1955.
Accelerated learning (Oregon) Oregon calls the whole category accelerated learning. Dual credit at the high school is free or close to it at most community colleges, and Expanded Options moves a junior or senior onto a campus at no charge to the student.
Dual enrollment (Nevada) No statewide free tuition. Districts sign cooperative agreements with NSHE colleges and each agreement names who pays, so the price runs from $25 a credit at the high school to $154 on a university campus.
Concurrent enrollment (Kansas) Concurrent enrollment means the college course is taught at the high school, and it is not free by default. Excel in CTE pays tuition for approved technical courses, and a district board may cover the rest if it chooses to.
Dual Credit (Kentucky) A $99 ceiling on what a college may charge a high school student, and a state scholarship that pays that rate for one general education course a year.
Dual Credit (Missouri) Missouri draws a line between dual credit and dual enrollment based on who teaches, and the price and the GPA tier both follow from that.
Dual Credit (Idaho) Every Idaho public school student gets $4,625 to spend on college credit between grades 7 and 12, and the fund pays $75 a credit, which is what colleges charge.
Dual Credit (North Dakota) Tuition is the family's here, at a reduced rate that changes with who teaches the course, and Bank of North Dakota covers two courses a year for students on free or reduced lunch.
Dual Credit (South Dakota) Juniors and seniors split a deeply reduced tuition rate with the state, at $80.37 a credit hour, under a statute with a hard rule about what happens if a course goes badly.
Dual and Concurrent Enrollment (Rhode Island) A state fund covers tuition and fees for part-time college courses at the three public institutions, and the statute behind it caps that fund at whatever the budget appropriates each year.
Early College and Running Start (Hawaii) Two programs run off one statute that never says who pays. Early College comes to the high school and the school usually covers it; Running Start puts the student on a UH campus at that campus’s published rate.
Dual Enrollment (Alaska) No state program and no state money behind it. What a college course costs an Alaska family depends on which University of Alaska campus offers it and whether the school district signed an agreement.
Dual Enrollment (Montana) The first two courses or six credits carry no tuition anywhere in the Montana University System, fees are waived, and everything after that costs half of resident two-year tuition, around $60 a credit.

Planning Dual and Concurrent Enrollment for your teen?

Save this page and the state's deadlines show up on your own My FastTrack page, next to the tools. Which courses to take, in which order, so the credits still count at the college your teen ends up at, is the part we do with families.

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