IOWA CITY, Iowa—To ensure that all students have the opportunity to earn college credit in high school, ACT is launching a multi-year effort to support policymakers and education leaders in their work to increase the number of eligible high school students in dual enrollment programs across the country.
Dual enrollment programs are at a critical juncture in their growth, with more federal funding available to support these programs in the newly passed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaces No Child Left Behind.
Based on a thorough analysis of existing laws and research on dual enrollment programs, today ACT released Using Dual Enrollment to Improve the Educational Outcomes for High School Students, a policy brief outlining recommendations to help boost enrollment of eligible students in these programs.
ACT research shows that high school graduates who enter college with credits from dual enrollment are more likely to be successful in college, including completing a bachelor’s degree in less time, than are students who enter college without such credits.
Yet students from lower-income families are the least likely to have access to dual enrollment courses, even with a recent $20 million infusion of Pell Grants to supplement dual enrollment program costs for these students.
Only nine states fully fund the costs of dual enrollment courses for college credit. The rest require students to pay some portion of program fees and books, frequently costing hundreds of dollars per course.
“We know that only one in 10 students from the poorest families take these courses, compared to one in four, on average, nationally,” said Scott Montgomery, vice president of policy, advocacy, and government relations at ACT. “Our policy brief is the first of many steps we will take, with the assistance of several prominent national education organizations, to ensure all eligible students have the opportunity to take high-quality courses at minimal cost to them and their families.”
The report shares four recommendations to meet this goal:
developing consistent funding mechanisms for sustainability and creation of dual enrollment courses
ensuring high quality instruction for those courses
offering additional supports for students engaged in dual enrollment coursework
leveraging online resources to promote greater access.
To advance ongoing efforts to support dual enrollment, some of ACT’s partners, along with federal lawmakers, offered their perspectives on the policy brief and its recommended priorities:
Chris Minnich, executive director, Council of Chief State School Officers
“The focus on raising standards and improving assessments has—rightfully—dominated much of education policy in recent years. But we can’t forget to also pay attention to other successes, such as dual enrollment courses, that help expose and prepare students for success in college, careers and life.”
Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges
“Seventy-one percent of students in dual enrollment programs do so through community colleges. As such, community colleges are critical to the success of expanding dual enrollment opportunities. We are supportive of any effort that expands students’ access to such programs.”
Adam Lowe, Executive Director, National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships:
“We (NACEP) are encouraged by the strong bipartisan support for dual and concurrent enrollment in Washington, DC, and this report offers several recommendations that policymakers and our dedicated members across the country can follow to improve the postsecondary opportunities for underserved students and the professional development of instructors who are interested in teaching such courses.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting dual enrollment (dual credit and concurrent enrollment) courses, ACT is working closely with a number of key partners who also support the expansion and sustainability of these programs. The following partners contributed to the development of this policy brief:
- American Association of Community Colleges
- Education Commission of the States
- National Association for College Admission Counseling
- National Council for Community and Education Partnerships
- Council of Chief State School Officers
- National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships
- National Association of State Boards of Education
- National Governors Association
Along with the examples highlighted in the report, ACT will continue to provide policy recommendations and other supports to advance effective dual enrollment programs, including identifying opportunities to grow them at both the state and federal levels.