H.R. 5990House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Dual Credit Innovation Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 8:04 AM UTC

The Dual Credit Innovation Act directs the Secretary of Education to set up a program that annually recognizes high schools and local education agencies that expand high‑quality dual credit programs. It creates a non‑monetary “Dual Credit Innovation Award” under the National Blue Ribbon Schools program for eligible partnerships. The award targets collaborations between a college or university and a high school or local education agency that let secondary students earn transferable postsecondary credit toward a degree.

Key Provisions

Within one year of enactment and each year thereafter, the Secretary will competitively award a Dual Credit Innovation Award to eligible partnerships
Eligibility requires submitting an application through the National Blue Ribbon Schools program
The award is honorary only and carries no monetary value
Defines “dual credit program” as a program where secondary students earn postsecondary credit transferable to partner institutions and applicable toward a degree, and defines “eligible partnership” as a collaboration between at least one higher‑education institution and a high school or local education agency

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

November 16, 2021

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 16, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

November 16, 2021

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued November 16, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 5990

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 16, 2021

Mr. Taylor (for himself and Mr. Golden) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to recognize high schools and local educational agencies for expanding high-quality dual credit programs.

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Dual Credit Innovation Act.

National Blue Ribbon Schools Dual Credit Innovation Award

(a)

Dual Credit Priority

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall, on a competitive basis, recognize eligible partnerships with high-quality dual credit programs with a Dual Credit Innovation Award which shall be an award under the National Blue Ribbon Schools program of the Department of Education.

(b)

Application and Selection Process

To be eligible to be recognized under subsection (a), an eligible partnership shall submit an application under the National Blue Ribbon Schools program of the Department of Education.

(c)

Non-Monetary Value

The award and recognition established under this Act may not have monetary value.

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Dual Credit Program

The term dual credit program means a program offered by an eligible partnership through which a secondary school student who has not graduated from high school with a regular high school diploma is able to enroll in one or more postsecondary courses and earn postsecondary credit that—

(A)

is transferable to the institutions of higher education in the partnership; and

(B)

applies toward completion of a degree or recognized educational credential as described in the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).

(2)

Eligible partnership

The term eligible partnership means a partnership between—

(A)

at least one institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that provides a dual credit program; and

(B)

at least one—

(i)

local educational agency (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); or

(ii)

high school.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.