According to Congress Dual Enrollment Benefits Are a Plus

Connect students to college credits

There have been a lot of exciting developments in education so far this year! One area that’s been exploding recently is dual (or concurrent) enrollment. Dual enrollment programs help high school students earn college credit while they’re still in high school. It’s a powerful way for students to nudge students toward an affordable higher education degree.

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) has been working with Congress for years to improve access to concurrent enrollment programs. There’s been real progress lately. The Every Child Achieves and Every Student Succeeds Acts provide greater access to existing federal funds for dual enrollment programs so that more students can take advantage of these opportunities.

Key takeaways

1. Dual enrollment has the potential to level the playing field for students from diverse backgrounds. Low-income students in particular benefit from more affordable college credit options.
2. Encouraging students to take college courses while still in high school creates a college-going culture, inspiring more students to pursue paths in higher education.
3. Two-way text messaging has been very effective for improving communications with dual enrollment students. Youngstown State University uses text nudges with dual enrollment students to help students stay on track, and has measured an increase in matriculation to YSU as a result.