Opportunities for students to earn college credit while still in high school are expanding, according to a new report.
The study from the National Center for Education Statistics found that, during the 2010-11 academic year, 82 percent of public high schools enrolled students in dual-credit courses, and 69 percent reported enrollments in International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement courses for which college credit is contingent on exam results.
In 2002-03, the NCES reported 71 percent of high schools offered programs in which students earned credit at both the high school and college levels for the same course, known as “dual credit.” Another 67 percent of public high schools had exam-based AP courses, while 2 percent enrolled students in IB classes.
One driver behind the increased participation in college-level courses is a school’s expectations. Nearly 63 percent of schools with dual-enrollment programs made enrolling in such a course a requirement for students, the report says.
