It's a fact – a lot of young people beginning high school this fall will never get their diplomas.  Of this group, only a few will earn their GED, and fewer will go on to receive a college degree. 

Instead, like most who don't complete high school, these individuals will be at risk of winding up unemployed or working jobs that pay little for the rest of their lives.  They will more likely rely on some sort of public assistance and have a higher chance of ending up in jail.  The cost is heavy to bear and, I believe, unnecessary.

Wisconsin's graduation rate is above the national average. But many students – especially those from low-income backgrounds – make an early exit from high school without earning the basic building block of a better future. 

Students often drop out because they don't see the point of completing school and think college is too far out of reach.  They feel they don't have the grades to be admitted, the time to finish or the money to afford a college education.  So, rather than staying in the classroom, they leave school to work more hours.  

But a pioneering approach to education holds great promise in turning things around.  "Dual enrollment" programs, already being implemented in certain high schools, provide an educational framework and means for students to accomplish more and get on a quicker pathway toward earning a college degree.  Such programs enable students to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and credit toward a college degree.

When effectively implemented, these programs motivate students to perform better and continue their education beyond high school.  However, to work, dual enrollment programs require resources, especially if they are made available to low-income students. 

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been instrumental in providing the leadership and means for low-income schools to implement a comprehensive dual enrollment program known as "early college high school."  These schools allow students to simultaneously earn their diplomas and up to two years of college credit, including an associate's degree – tuition free.  Schools receiving resources through the foundation blend high school and college in a rigorous yet supportive program. 

Research conducted by Jobs for the Future, and funded by the Gates Foundation, establishes that such programs are an effective tool for increasing high school attendance and college enrollment among low-income students. 

We can build on this effort by providing more funding sources for these innovative initiatives and ensuring students have access to the academic and social support services they need to succeed.  That is why I recently introduced The Fast Track to College Act of 2008, which would create a federal grant base for dual enrollment programs and early college high schools that serve low-income students.

Specifically, my bill authorizes $50 million for six-year grants to school districts for new or existing "early college high school" programs and another $50 million for other types of dual enrollment programs.

The Fast Track to College Act would also encourage partnerships with local businesses to provide career training and valuable internship opportunities, and help align the local educational system more closely with area job opportunities.

The bill has wide support in Wisconsin among public school systems, colleges and state agencies, including Milwaukee Public Schools, Madison Public Schools, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the state's Department of Public Instruction. 

When challenged in the right way, students are more likely to reach their potential.  This opportunity will only happen if we can give them a real shot of achieving an advanced degree, and a better life and future.  When our young people succeed, we all come out winners.  This investment is one worth making.