Dual enrollment is on the rise. During the 2022-23 school year, nearly 2.5 million high school students participated in college courses, earning credits for both high school and college. This marks a significant increase from 1.5 million in 2021 and around 300,000 in the early 2000s. Recent data reveals a 7 percent rise in dual enrollment in the fall of 2024, contrasting with a decline in traditional college freshmen.
The financial impact on the nation remains unclear. Texas alone, which accommodates 10 percent of these students, was spending $120 million annually by 2017. It’s plausible that over $1 billion in public funds is allocated for dual enrollment nationwide. Researchers are examining who benefits from these classes and whether they expedite degree completion and reduce costs.
A comprehensive October 2024 analysis by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center tracked 400,000 students who began dual enrollment in 2015. Over 80 percent went to college right after high school, compared to 70 percent of the general population. Nearly 30 percent earned a bachelor’s degree in four years, but 58 percent did not earn any post-secondary credential in that time.
The analysis raises questions about dual enrollment’s value as a public policy. It’s uncertain if early college exposure encourages more students to pursue higher education. While dual enrollment students tend to do better, they often have high qualifications like advanced coursework, suggesting they might succeed without dual enrollment. “Are we subsidizing students who were always going to go to college anyway?” asked Kristen Hengtgen, a policy analyst at EdTrust, highlighting concerns over resource allocation.
Hengtgen is worried about the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students, as reflected in the report’s data dashboard. Only 9 percent of dual enrollees were Black and 17 percent Hispanic, despite these groups comprising larger portions of the high school population. White students took 65 percent of dual enrollment seats while making up only half of high schoolers.
Advocates argue that early college experiences motivate higher education pursuits, yet the lack of Black and Hispanic participation underscores a potential shortfall in achieving educational equity. Better advising and affordable access are needed to help these students enroll in dual enrollment classes, as they may miss out due to prerequisites and costs.
CCRC economist Tatiana Velasco noted that dual enrollment benefits Black and Hispanic students significantly. Her analysis showed that these groups experienced substantial boosts in degree attainment. For instance, 29 percent of Black students with dual credits completed a bachelor’s degree in four years, compared to 18 percent without.
The report underscores variations in dual enrollment across the U.S. and highlights trends in states like Florida and Texas. Yet, concerns persist that students may feel compelled to attend community colleges due to non-transferrable credits. This could limit their opportunities at more prestigious institutions, as dual enrollees starting at community colleges are less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree.
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