Dual enrollment has seen a significant increase in recent years. In the 2022-23 school year, nearly 2.5 million high school students were taking college classes, earning both high school and college credits simultaneously. This number has grown from 1.5 million students in the fall of 2021 and around 300,000 students in the early 2000s. The latest figures show a 7 percent increase in dual enrollment in the fall of 2024 compared to the previous year, despite a decrease in the number of traditional college freshmen.
The exact cost of this trend to the nation is not known, but it has been estimated that the state of Texas alone was investing $120 million annually in dual enrollment as of 2017, making it plausible that over $1 billion a year in public funds is being spent on dual enrollment across the country.
Researchers are now trying to understand the demographics of students taking advantage of dual enrollment, whether it is expanding the pool of college-educated Americans, and if these additional credits are helping students earn college degrees faster and save money.
A recent analysis by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center tracked the outcomes of 400,000 high school students who started taking dual enrollment classes in 2015. Over 80 percent of these students enrolled in college immediately after high school, a higher rate compared to the general population where only 70 percent of high school graduates go straight to college. Of the dual enrollment students, nearly 30 percent earned a bachelor’s degree within four years, but the majority had not earned any college degree within that time frame.
The analysis highlighted the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in dual enrollment classes, raising concerns about equity in access to these opportunities. Advocates argue that better high school advising is needed to help these students navigate the prerequisites and costs associated with dual enrollment.
While overall, dual enrollment credits provided only a modest boost to students, there were significant benefits for certain demographic groups. Black, Hispanic, and low-income students saw larger increases in college attainment with dual enrollment credits compared to their counterparts without such credits.
Despite the potential benefits, there are challenges associated with the wide variation in how dual enrollment operates across the nation. Many students accumulate credits without a clear pathway towards graduation or transferability to other institutions.
In conclusion, while dual enrollment shows promise in boosting college attainment for certain student groups, there are still questions about its overall effectiveness as a public policy. More research is needed to determine the long-term impact and benefits of dual enrollment programs.