Kansas Leadership Center and WSU Tech join national initiative
to expand college access for Kansas students
Wichita, Kan. – The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) and Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) have been selected to join the second cohort of Jobs for the Future’s Increasing Dual Enrollment Access and Success (IDEAS) initiative, a national effort to expand access to college-level coursework for high school students. The two Wichita-based organizations are working together to design regional partnerships that increase equitable access to dual enrollment opportunities across Kansas.
IDEAS is a five-year, $15 million initiative that launched in 2024 and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Innovation & Research program. The national program is designed to help more students participate in meaningful, credit-bearing college courses during high school.
“Dual enrollment can be a powerful starting point, but access alone is not enough,” said Jena Roth, dean of high school partnerships and community outreach at WSU Tech. “Through this partnership, we can bring schools, colleges and communities together to identify barriers and build clearer pathways that help Kansas students turn college credit into progress toward a credential and career.”
Research from the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) shows that dual enrollment boosts academic achievement, increases college persistence and leads to higher credential completion rates. According to the Community College Research Center, more students are participating in dual enrollment than ever before. During the 2022-23 academic year, an estimated 2.5 million high school students took at least one college course. Additionally, community colleges across the country are seeing a rise in enrollment among students under age 18. However, access to dual enrollment remains uneven. Lack of courses in rural areas, unexpected fees or textbook costs, and insufficient resources or support systems can limit access for some students.
Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring more Kansas students, regardless of where they live or their family’s income, have a clearer pathway to college and career success.
This partnership will help more Kansas students earn college credit while still in high school, reducing both the time and cost required to complete a degree after high school graduation.
The IDEAS project expands access to dual enrollment through a Hub model that aligns schools, colleges and communities around shared goals so more students graduate with momentum toward college and career. KLC and WSU Tech represent the Kansas hub, joining partners in Ohio, Tennessee, Arizona, Illinois and Texas.
“Expanding access to dual enrollment is a complex challenge that no one organization can solve alone,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center. 
“We’re honored to partner with WSU Tech to thoughtfully design and put systems in place to break down the barriers and make dual enrollment an accessible option for Kansas students.”
To help manage and support the partnership between KLC and WSU Tech, KLC hired Jayla Dennis as the IDEAS manager. Dennis brings firsthand experience helping first-generation and youth in foster care navigate college access, making her uniquely positioned to lead the initiative. She is a first-generation college graduate who graduated from Friends University. Before joining KLC in this role, she served as a college access advisor with Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP, a federally funded program that helps youth in foster care pursue postsecondary education.
Jayla Dennis, IDEAS manager at the Kansas Leadership Center.
“With her prior experience and as a first-generation college graduate, Jayla has seen how barriers can keep young students from achieving their dreams. She is the ideal person to manage this initiative and help implement the adapted Hub framework,” said Monk-Morgan.
KLC and WSU Tech are currently in the planning and discovery phase of the initiative. Over the coming months, partners will conduct site visits, assess current dual enrollment systems and identify opportunities to strengthen access across Kansas. The work will ultimately inform a shared vision and priorities for expanding equitable dual enrollment opportunities statewide.
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About the Kansas Leadership Center
The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit educational organization with a civic mission, national reputation and global reach. Founded in 2007 with core funding from the Kansas Health Foundation, KLC’s mission is to inspire and equip people, together, to do difficult things for the common good. KLC partners with other nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, philanthropies, and communities to build cultures that are mobilized to make progress on their toughest challenges and thrive. Its publications include leadership books available from Bard Press, Third Floor Research, an applied research center with the Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University, and The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues magazine.
Over the past 19 years, KLC has built a strong and respected institution in Kansas designed to deliver leadership development and culture change at unparalleled scale. Now, organizations across the country and around the world look to us to provide resources and consultation to support their own aspirations for mission-driven leadership education. Learn more at www.kansasleadershipcenter.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Carrie Lindeman
316-393-1076
carrie@lindemancollective.com
