More high school students than ever are getting a head start on college.
Over 3 million students took at least one college course in the 2024-25 academic year, a record, according to federal data analyzed by the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dual enrollment grew 24% in two years, with gains in every state and the District of Columbia. Community colleges served about 7 in 10 of those students, more than all other types of colleges combined, the research center found.
For K-12 school leaders, this growth could represent an opportunity. Research shows dual-enrollment students are more likely to go to college and finish, and many save money by earning credits early.
But access to dual enrollment programs is uneven. Boys, Black and Hispanic students, English learners, and students with disabilities all take these courses at lower rates than their peers.
High schoolers now make up nearly a quarter of community college students nationally and a majority in Idaho and Indiana. That gives districts leverage to ask more of their college partners, said John Fink, a senior research associate for the Community College Research Center at Teachers College who led the analysis.
Education Week spoke with Fink about what strong dual-enrollment programs do well. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What does a strong high school-college partnership look like?
It really is a partnership, with investment at the leadership level, like the superintendent and college president, and at the operational level, like counselors, teachers, and program coordinators. Effective partnerships do four things: outreach to cast a wide net, strong academic support while keeping the college standard high, aligning courses to majors and careers, and advising so students know how their credits will count.
Who should advise dual-enrollment students?
We can’t keep putting more responsibilities on school counselors, especially for college-specific topics like financial aid and transfer agreements. One growing strategy is placing college advisers at local high schools one day a week or every two weeks. High school leaders tell us it’s a real capacity boost.
Where should dual-enrollment courses be taught?
How you do it often matters more than where. About 80% of dual enrollment is taught in the high school by a high school teacher, which makes it very accessible. The key is making sure it truly feels like a college course. Online courses solve logistical problems, but schools should be cautious about student engagement. Some have students take online courses together during the school day with a teacher on hand.
What if a school doesn’t have enough qualified teachers?
Work through it with your college partner. For career and technical education courses, colleges can recognize industry experience. In San Antonio, the Alamo Colleges paid for graduate training for teachers at Title I high schools to expand the pool of instructors. [Federal Title I funds are directed toward schools with disadvantaged students] Some communities also pay teachers adjunct wages on top of their salary, which is a real incentive.
How can schools make sure credits actually count?
Think about the package, not individual courses. Strong programs work with their college partner so students finish high school with about 12 credits that transfer to many degrees. Miami Dade College combines high school CTE credits with one or two dual-enrollment courses into a package aligned to a specific certificate or degree.
How can schools bring in students who don’t see themselves as college material?
Rethink rigid eligibility rules. Test score cutoffs can exclude students who would succeed. Schools are using grades instead or opening CTE dual-enrollment courses to every student in that pathway. When those barriers are removed and supports are added, students still succeed. Dual enrollment doesn’t have to be only for academic all-stars. Young men, for example, are well represented in CTE, so building dual enrollment into those programs can reach them.
What should a school leader do first?
Talk to your students about what’s working and where the program falls short. Then sit down with your community college partner and have a frank conversation: What are we trying to achieve, and what more do we need from each other? Dual enrollment matters a lot to colleges’ enrollment, so schools should expect strong advising and support and ask for it if they’re not getting it.
