How State Policies Can Support Dual Enrollment Students

Headline: How State Policies Can Support Dual Enrollment Students

Title: Sharing the Cost: Insights From States Funding Dual Enrollment to Expand Access

Authors: Krista Kaput, Sharmila Mann, and Carrie Hahnel

Source: Bellwether

Research demonstrates that participation in dual enrollment programs improves student outcomes, with the potential to increase graduation rates and college enrollment and further students’ postsecondary attainment. While these benefits reach all participating students, students face unequal access to dual enrollment programs, which serve white and high-income students at a higher rate than Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and low-income students.

To better understand the policies in place to support dual enrollment programs, a new report published by Bellwether examines dual enrollment programs and policies among four states, finding common themes related to both cost-sharing and access that states can replicate to further promote equity in dual enrollment participation.

In analyzing the states and programs, the report notes seven themes related to increasing access to dual enrollment programs to serve as models for other states.

Three of these themes involve funding policies:

1. States allocate the full, per-pupil cost for dual enrollment students directly to participating school districts, ensuring that districts are not put at a financial disadvantage if students attend dual enrollment courses.
2. Dual enrollment students are accounted for in community college full-time equivalent calculations, ensuring that community colleges are sufficiently funded for all students during the budget allocation process.
3. States either fully or partially reimburse community colleges for the tuition costs associated with dual enrollment students, ensuring that costs are kept low for students while supporting the additional costs for community colleges.

Four more themes concern policies unrelated to funding:

1. There are specific, state-set goals for dual enrollment programs, which can involve a method for data collection, setting program performance expectations, and alignment with other state attainment initiatives, to ensure that students are receiving high-level programming.
2. Community colleges and K-12 school districts are responsible for reporting dual enrollment program data to the state, allowing for policy adjustments supporting both strengths and opportunities for growth.
3. States require the establishment of formal agreements between school districts and community colleges, ensuring that responsibilities for dual enrollment students are acknowledged and upheld among both parties.
4. Dual enrollment coursework provides experience toward a credential of value or a need among the workforce, increasing the likelihood that credits earned through dual enrollment will support future postgraduation plans.

Beyond the seven themes that support dual enrollment students found among the four states, the authors of the report go on to note further potential policy changes that states may make to better serve underrepresented populations in dual enrollment programs. To increase access and participation, states ought to establish sustainable funding that provides frequent investment in support of dual enrollment students. Students’ participation can also be supported by increasing the number of instructors among educational areas of high demand, establishing strong advising systems among school districts and community colleges, and allocating funding toward non-tuition costs that may hinder enrollment.

To read more about specific dual enrollment programs, state policies, and how states can further increase access and participation among dual enrollment students, click here.

—Julia Napier