Dual Enrollment Policies and Practices: Earning College Credit in California High Schools

This report is intended to inform California educators, policymakers, administrators, and researchers about current policies and practices that shape dual enrollment in the state. Dual enrollment has historically targeted high-achieving high school students, but today it is increasingly seen as a strategy to help a broader range of students make the transition from high school to college. At the same time, there is uncertainty about how to broaden dual enrollment opportunities in the current policy environment. The report clarifies current policy pertaining to dual enrollment in California, reviews research on dual enrollment, and provides an overview of various program models. The report also describes existing programs in California that are successfully providing dual enrollment opportunities to high school students and discusses how California policy has informed the development of the Concurrent Courses initiative funded by The James Irvine Foundation.