With dual enrollment (DE) programs expanding rapidly—fueled by nearly 350 new state policies in the last decade—are students, colleges, and states seeing the full return on investment? This session highlighted new national and state-level research on what happens after high school to DE students: who continues in postsecondary, which colleges they attend, how many return to their DE college, whether they earn degrees, and how much they are earning 6-years after HS. Presenters also featured new statewide research from California showing how taking math and English through DE—particularly transfer-level courses in high school—can be a promising lever for improving postsecondary success. Drawing on statewide data from Texas, they also examined how DE intersects with CTE and AP to highlight strategies for educators and state leaders to align policy and practice to expand college and career opportunity for all.
