In partnership with the Aspen Institute, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) has released a new report that highlights equity gaps within dual enrollment programs and suggests ways postsecondary and K-12 leaders can address those barriers.
The report, “The Dual Enrollment Playbook: A Guide to Equitable Acceleration for Students,” analyzed nine dual enrollment programs in Florida, Ohio and Washington.
According to the playbook, dual enrollment refers to college classes taken by high school students through a partnership with an institution.
“We’ve been studying enrollment and outcomes for many years,” said John Fink, senior research associate at CCRC. “There really has been mounting evidence of the benefits of participating in dual enrollment … be that increasing the likelihood of going to college and succeeding in college.”
Dual enrollment courses can be taken through multiple methods. More than 80% of students take classes at a high school led by a college instructor. On the other hand, 17% of students commute to college campuses and learn from a college instructor while 8% complete their work online, the report found.
Though eligibility requirements vary for dual enrollment programs, the most common requirements include meeting a minimum grade point average and college placement test score. Additionally, students must receive written approval from either a teacher, counselor, principal or parent.
However, these requirements have created barriers for underrepresented and low-income students due to the cost of tuition and transportation, as well as the lack of access to quality test preparation tutors.
