States should adopt an explicit goal to increase the participation and success of historically underserved students in dual enrollment, and should establish goals for individual student subgroups that have had low participation rates.

States should report disaggregated, user friendly data on dual enrollment access and success among groups of students (e.g., racial/ethnic groups). State and local leaders should create or modify accountability systems to incentivize closing equity gaps.

Students who enroll in dual enrollment programs need to have confidence that the courses they take will move them closer to a degree or a credential. States must develop quality standards and regulations for all dual enrollment programs, including plans for sustainable professional development to raise the rigor of the high school experience. T

As state dollars are limited, dual enrollment classes should be used to move students into high-wage jobs that are in demand in the local labor market. State leaders should tie state funding and support to those dual enrollment courses that are offered as part of clear pathways to certificates and degrees, backed by articulation agreements with colleges and universities, and that include core coursework rather than elective credit.

The credits students earn must be transferable among two- and four-year colleges in the state; otherwise, students and taxpayers lose time and money. State leaders should establish statewide articulation agreements that ensure credits transfer between high schools and the state’s public colleges and universities, as well as with any private institutions that take part in the dual enrollment program.

Dual enrollment courses should be provided at no cost to students from low- and moderate -income families. This will encourage more students to enroll in dual enrollment courses and earn college credits while in high school.

Dual enrollment programs are very popular among students and higher education institutions. State resources should focus state dollars on the programs that will best advance goals of college enrollment, college completion, and workforce readiness.

The determination of whether a student should be placed in remedial education has traditionally relied on standardized placement tests such as the Accuplacer, which are not necessarily correlated with the ability of students to succeed in credit-bearing courses. State and local policymakers should push to move beyond test-only placement. State and local policymakers should also give colleges guidance about how to broaden their approach. For example, research suggests placement can be successful using multiple factors, including student high school GPA.

State and local leaders should encourage colleges to consider new models like summer bridge courses, compressing developmental courses into shorter periods, offering diverse math courses that align with students’ career paths, offering co-requisite courses (i.e., embedding additional support into credit-bearing courses instead of requiring students to take separate courses), integrating developmental reading and writing instruction into one course, and ensuring that modified developmental courses offered at two-year colleges are transferable to four-year colleges in the state.

Evidence suggests that gaps between students of color and white students in earning a college- and career-ready diploma are reduced when the state’s default diploma (that students must opt out of if they want to pursue another pathway) is aligned with college expectations. In addition, states can establish other pathways that students may opt into, including options that are more rigorous and align with entrance requirements for the state’s flagship four-year university (e.g., an Honors diploma) or that prepare students for specialized postsecondary programs in different career fields.

Students’ interests vary; therefore, states may develop different diploma pathways to strengthen student engagement and increase college enrollment. It is critical for diploma pathways to promote, rather than undercut, preparation for postsecondary education by ensuring diploma pathways are aligned with postsecondary expectations. States with multiple diploma pathways should disaggregate outcome data by pathway and student demographics to ensure students of color, students from low-income families, and other historically underserved populations are not tracked into pathways with poor postsecondary outcomes.

Transitioning from high school to college should be opt-out, not opt-in. State and local leaders can remove barriers like applications, fees, and financial aid forms by arranging for all high school students to receive free admission to community college at the same time they receive diplomas. Efforts should be targeted at students who might not otherwise go to college, particularly students from historically underserved communities.

The bifurcation of high school and higher education is a major barrier to college enrollment and completion. The proliferation of diploma pathways in many states adds to the complexity facing students and families. It is critical for postsecondary advising to start early and continue throughout middle and high school so that students and families make informed decisions.

Set goals for participation and success of low-income students and students of color and make Fast Track pathways available statewide to prevent gaps in access for historically underserves students.

Credit is not guaranteed for students who receive high scores on AP and IB exams. For example, only 20 states have policies requiring public colleges to accept AP exam scores for credit. State and local leaders should set consistent policies regarding credits conferred as a result of success in AP, IB, and dual enrollment to maximize the impact of these opportunities for students and taxpayers.

With such a sequence, students would enroll in a thoughtful series of courses that comprise the equivalent of the freshman year of college and lead to a recognized credential, including an associate’s degree that would be accepted in transfer to the state’s four-year colleges and universities. State and local policymakers can serve as conveners to help develop such programs and provide colleges with funds or other incentives.

States might consider using existing assessments such as the SAT, the ACT, or state-developed exams like the New York Regents exam as an alternative path to graduation. Students who could demonstrate that they meet college-ready benchmarks would then be eligible for early graduation and could enroll in a fast track AP/IB or dual enrollment program or take advantage of an early high school graduation scholarship to attend college instead of remaining in high school for twelfth grade.