A graduate of Blackhawk Technical College and Rock University High School in 2026, Alex Castellanos is shown with RUHS Principal Patty Hernandez.
Blackhawk Technical College partners with more than 20 public high schools across Rock County, Green County and beyond to encourage high school students to take classes that count for high school and college credit at the same time. These “dual-credit” courses can give students a leg up when they’re considering college or a career.
Alissa Grenawalt, Early College Specialist, Blackhawk
Alissa Grenawalt, Early College Specialist, said, “There are so many benefits to taking advantage of dual enrollment in high schools, as it saves students and their families time and money while allowing students to be job-ready sooner.”
Christopher Maedke, the School District of Janesville’s College, Career and Technical Education Coordinator, agreed that taking college-level courses in high school gives students an advantage.
“Dual-credit courses give students a major head start. By tackling college-level Career and Technical Education (CTE) or core subjects now, they build the confidence to know they belong in higher education, save significantly on future tuition, and graduate with a transcript that proves they are career-ready from day one. It’s the ultimate bridge between high school and the ‘real world.’"
Christopher Maedke, College, Career and Technical Education Coordinator, School District of Janesville
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There are five types of dual-enrollment programs offered by Blackhawk that students can choose to earn college credit while still in high school.
- Transcripted Credit
This type of class allows a high school teacher who meets all required credentials to be a Blackhawk adjunct instructor to teach a Blackhawk course at a high school. With nearly 800 students in 2024, this is Blackhawk’s most popular dual-credit option.
- Advanced Standing
Another type of arrangement enables a high school teacher to teach a class with course outcomes that align with Blackhawk’s course. For these, agreements are developed annually between Blackhawk and high schools. In 2024, more than 180 courses fell into this category.
- Start College Now
This option sees high school students coming to a Blackhawk campus for a course taught by a Blackhawk instructor. More than 120 area high school students chose this option in 2024. Of those choosing this option, more than one-third enroll at Blackhawk after graduating from high school.
- Collegiate Academy
High school students take Blackhawk courses at their high school, typically joining virtually through the MyEdChoice option, which allows students to take a class in person, virtually through Microsoft Teams or anytime online using recordings.
- Contracts
High school students take a closed-section course at their high school or at Blackhawk. In 2024, 14 contract courses offered dual credit to more than 120 students.
Popularity is growing
Students younger than 18 taking Blackhawk classes increased 52% from fall 2024 to fall 2025. And of high school students who directly enrolled at Blackhawk in fall 2025 or spring 2026 (as of December 2025), 35% had taken one or more types of dual-enrollment courses.
Maedke said when it comes to transcripted credit and advanced standing courses, “We generally have more than 1,100 students participating each year. I think transcripted credit courses are gaining in popularity.”
Students in Janesville are taking classes in core areas such as math, science, social studies and English, Maedke shared, but that’s not all.
“We also have many students taking advantage of the CTE offerings in early childhood education, business and marketing, automotive, welding, culinary, health science and agricultural topics,” he said.
Among students at Rock University High School, which is on Blackhawk’s Beloit-Janesville Campus, all juniors and seniors are enrolled in some type of dual-credit course, according to RUHS Principal Patricia Hernandez, Ed.D. RUHS uses a Middle College model, which differs from the options described above. Using this approach, nearly all RUHS students participate in transcripted credit courses, she said.
Patricia Hernandez, Ed.D., Principal, Rock University High School
The interest of RUHS students has grown steadily over the past few years, from 237 credits earned in fall 2023, to 242 in fall 2024, to 444 in fall 2025, Hernandez shared.
“Our students are enjoying their classes and the opportunity to earn two years of college for free. The students appreciate the MyEdChoice program, which allows them to take courses that fit their schedules,” she said.
The Collegiate Academy model draws in students at South Beloit High School. Emily Roer, the high school’s college and career director, said, “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We often have graduates return to share their experiences, and many highlight how beneficial it was to enter college as sophomores due to the credits they earned in high school. Parents are very supportive and frequently encourage their students to enroll in dual-credit courses, especially since these classes are covered by the district, making college more affordable.”
The most popular courses among South Beloit High School students are prerequisite courses, which are widely transferable, Roer said.
“I strongly believe in the value of dual-credit courses. I see firsthand how dual-credit courses help eliminate barriers for our students. The ability to earn college credit in high school, at no cost to families, while receiving support from both our staff and Blackhawk Technical College staff is incredibly impactful. In the past, we often saw students struggle or drop out after their first semester of college. Today, we see greater success, largely because students are better prepared and more confident after experiencing college-level coursework in a supported environment,” Roer shared.
Katie Lange, Ed.D., Executive Director of Student Services, Blackhawk
Blackhawk’s Executive Director of Student Services Katie Lange, Ed.D., said, “South Beloit High School has been a shining example of a partner. They were the first school to engage in the Collegiate Academy. The partnership got off the ground during the pandemic, and it has been a sustained collaboration. They continue to expand the types of offerings to their students.”
Students save money
“Dual-enrollment courses are valuable to high school students because they save a significant amount of money,” Hernandez explained. This is because the school district pays the tuition cost for its students. This allows high school students to take college-level courses free of charge.
“In addition, students are allowed to try a program to see if it is a good match, giving them an opportunity to explore their interests. If they love it, they're ahead; if they don't, they haven't spent money on tuition to find out. Furthermore, dual enrollment allows students to graduate a semester or a year early from college, pursue a double major or a minor without overloading their schedule, and make room for study abroad programs or intense internships down the road,” she said.
What students say
Dawson Van Fleet, a student at The Lincoln Academy who lives in Beloit, said, “I chose to enroll in Blackhawk Technical College to challenge myself and get a head start on my future. My coworkers at Prent Corporation have said great things about the classes Blackhawk Technical College offers, which encouraged me. Additionally, I decided to take classes during high school because my classes would be paid for, making it a great opportunity to earn college credits at no cost. I wanted to also experience college-level expectations while still in high school, which allowed me to explore in a more hands-on and practical way.”
Van Fleet is studying computer numeric control (CNC) and will continue courses at Blackhawk after graduating from high school in June.
“CNC gives me opportunities to do more than just one thing–I also get to explore welding and other related skills, which makes the experience more diverse and useful for my future,” he said.
Kenslee Shoemaker, an Evansville High School senior, is interested in nursing.
“I decided to enroll in the Blackhawk’s Start College Now because I wanted to get a head start on my prerequisite courses, and it’s been a great experience,” Shoemaker said. “I recently finished my CNA course here at Blackhawk, and it was the best decision I’ve made. I learned so much, and it will definitely help me going forward in nursing school.”
Shoemaker shared she is looking forward to her high school graduation, working part-time over the summer as a CNA and helping out with the family business.
“My advice to someone that is considering doing Blackhawk’s Start College Now is: definitely sign up for it. It’s a wonderful experience and could help you out in so many ways,” she said.
Career pathway planning
“Dual-credit classes help students secure scholarships and gain admission to the college of their choice because admission officers are looking for students who challenge themselves. Success in a dual-enrollment program demonstrates to a university that the student is already capable of completing the required work,” Hernandez said.
Blackhawk has offered dual-credit courses for high school students since the early 2000s. To find out more, visit Blackhawk’s website. Questions can be directed to Grenawalt via email at agrenawalt4@blackhawk.edu or by phone at 608-757-6983.