A popular state program that allows high schoolers to take college courses at no cost needs to be reformed, according to representatives of school districts that foot the tuition and textbook bill.

About 52,000 Ohio students in grades seven through 12 took college classes during the 2015-16 school year, the first full year of the College Credit Plus program.

The program, which replaces Ohio’s previous dual-enrollment options, lets students take courses through schools such as University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and Owens Community College while also earning high school credit.

But a trio of associations representing Ohio school boards, business officials, and superintendents are pushing for changes in part because of the program’s cost.

“There is no free lunch. Somebody is paying for this — that somebody is the local taxpayer through the local districts,” said Damon Asbury, legislative services director for the Ohio School Boards Association. “I think it is good for students and parents, but it comes at a cost, and let’s be up front about the cost and who’s paying it.”

Students, parents, and educators praised the program in a roundtable discussion Tuesday at UT. The event featured Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor John Carey, state superintendent Paolo DeMaria, and representatives of local school districts who discussed the program’s success and how to improve it.

Afterward, Mr. Carey said an advisory board is reviewing concerns. Recommended changes would go before state lawmakers, likely as part of the budget process next year.

“There’s so many beautiful things about College Credit Plus,” Mr. DeMaria said during the event. “Sometimes when you start these things, you run into a few roadblocks.”

The three state associations compiled recommended program changes that include creating a policy to reduce textbook costs shouldered by districts, giving local districts greater flexibility to make financial agreements with colleges, requiring parents to contribute to the expense based on their ability to pay, and establishing a standard to determine if a student is ready to take college classes.

The state has yet to tally the cost to operate the program last year. But some districts expect to see costs increase because of the popularity of the program — marketed heavily by the state and colleges — along with the cost of college books, and other factors.

Anthony Wayne Local Schools officials said they didn’t yet know how much last year’s program will cost the district in withheld state support, but they are bracing for expenses to increase as more students participate.

For the 2014-15 school year, the district paid about $86,000 for college classes. For the 2015-16 school year, treasurer Kerri Johnson has made a rough projection of $250,000 to $300,000 in tuition costs — although she cautioned that estimate “might be way short.”

This semester, 357 Anthony Wayne students are participating in the program, either on a college campus, online, or in college classes taught by an Anthony Wayne teacher, she said. The district paid about $20,000 for college textbooks so far this year, she said.

Toledo Public Schools had about 350 students participate in College Credit Plus last year, at a cost of about $119,000 to the district for tuition and books, according to Jim Gault, chief academic officer.

This fall, 527 students are taking part, he said, at a cost of about $120 per three-credit hour course plus textbooks.

Mr. Gault called the program a “tremendous opportunity for students,” but said the financial implications are “really hitting districts hard.”

On Tuesday, educators and state officials heard from several local high school students who praised College Credit Plus for giving them a jump-start on college.

Bowsher High senior Kevon Snodgrass took composition and sociology courses last year at UT. This year, she’s taking three more college classes.

“After Comp 1, I’m like, college is no joke, and it’s nothing like high school,” she said. “I definitely owe all of my college readiness to CCP.”

Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.

First Published October 5, 2016, 4:00 a.m.