…students will be more likely to succeed in post secondary college opportunities.
The Postsecondary Achievement of Participants in Dual Enrollment: An Analysis of Student Outcomes in Two States, a study prepared by the Community College Research Center, suggests that dual enrollment programs should be made more available to a broad range of students instead of being confined to high-achieving pupils.
Community College Week highlights some of the outcomes:
In Florida, the study found that students who took college courses in high school were 4.3 percent more likely than their peers to earn a high-school diploma, and 16.8 percent more likely to enroll in college. Dual enrollment students also earned significantly higher grade-point averages one year after high school and were more likely to remain in college than their non-participating peers.
In New York, the study found that dual-enrollment students were more likely than their peers to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Three-and-a-half years after enrolling in college, dual enrollment students had earned significantly more college credits than students who didn’t take college courses in high school.
And, here is the best part:
Researchers paid particular attention to high school students enrolled in career and technical education courses, those who are traditionally considered not bound for college. They found in many measures, the gains documented for the whole sample also held true for career and technical education students.
Researchers found that dual enrollment can help students who do not believe college in is their future to believe otherwise. (my bolded emphasis)
The research results are not surprising, really. The idea bolded above - the changing of student beliefs - is what is particularly powerful. So many students who pursue career and technical education believe, for a myriad of reasons, that they will not and/or cannot be successful in school. CTE courses often change that belief, light that spark of learning, and provide experiences of success. We see it here at the Capital Area Career Center every year - students who enter believing they can’t go to college - and leave believing they can.