Nineteen thousand Utah high school students are saving more than $19 million a year through the concurrent enrollment program. And institutions of higher education are taking a beating for it.

"It's one of the few initiatives that have come from this Legislature that has been really exceptional," said Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley City, except that it hasn't been fully funded.

There isn't any additional money to lend the program, which allows high school students to take college courses at no cost. Instead, Senate Bill 81, which was debated Tuesday by a legislative committee, takes a few steps to start picking at the edges:

• It would allow colleges to charge a fee to participate in honors-type programs related to science, technology, engineering and math.

• It would require students to take a test before being able to take certain class.

"It's a huge expense to higher education," said bill sponsor Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.

Any sort of fee did raise one concern.

"I'm afraid that those who can afford would certainly have an advantage over those who can't," said Todd Quarnberg, president of the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals. "Once you open the door, I'm fearful."

Dayton said the fees would be small.

"Even if there's a fee on this, it's a huge savings (for students.)"

The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee for debate on the Senate floor.

Nineteen thousand Utah high school students are saving more than $19 million a year through the concurrent enrollment program. And institutions of higher education are taking a beating for it.

"It's one of the few initiatives that have come from this Legislature that has been really exceptional," said Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley City, except that it hasn't been fully funded.

There isn't any additional money to lend the program, which allows high school students to take college courses at no cost. Instead, Senate Bill 81, which was debated Tuesday by a legislative committee, takes a few steps to start picking at the edges:

• It would allow colleges to charge a fee to participate in honors-type programs related to science, technology, engineering and math.

• It would require students to take a test before being able to take certain class.

"It's a huge expense to higher education," said bill sponsor Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.

Any sort of fee did raise one concern.

"I'm afraid that those who can afford would certainly have an advantage over those who can't," said Todd Quarnberg, president of the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals. "Once you open the door, I'm fearful."

Dayton said the fees would be small.

"Even if there's a fee on this, it's a huge savings (for students.)"

The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee for debate on the Senate floor.