A bill that would eliminate some concurrent enrollment classes for high school students passed a Senate committee Tuesday.

SB81 would make several changes to concurrent enrollment, a program in which high school students take college classes to earn both high school and college credit.

Under the bill, concurrent enrollment would no longer include high school classes typically offered in ninth or tenth grade, which would mean an end to concurrent enrollment classes such as computer essentials and marriage and family, said William Sederburg, commissioner of higher education. Those classes would still be offered in high school but students would no longer earn college credit.

More than 6,000 students took those two concurrent enrollment classes last school year.

"The idea there is, in these times of limited resources, we need to focus the money we have on more academically [oriented] classes," Sederburg said. Some other nonacademic classes might also be cut.

The bill would also require all high school students to take a test before enrolling in math and English concurrent enrollment classes. It would change how the state funds some classes and allow a fee to be charged to students for some engineering/science/math/technology honors concurrent enrollment classes.

Sederburg said the bill would not likely affect students trying to earn New Century Scholarships.

Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, is also sponsoring a bill, HB207, that would change the way the state funds concurrent enrollment classes, but would not make the other changes in the SB81. That measure cleared a House committee Tuesday.