Dual enrollment boosts college success. But few Arizona students participate

You can’t dispute the data.

Students who take dual enrollment courses that allow them to earn college credit during high school have better postsecondary outcomes than those who don’t.

In fact, our research at Helios Education Foundation shows students who participate in dual enrollment are more than twice as likely to attend college. They’re also more likely to stay enrolled, earn higher GPAs and finish.

And there are multiple reasons for that.

'I can't imagine where I'd be,' student says

Dual enrollment prepares students and gives them confidence that they’ll be ready for the rigorous coursework they’ll face in college.

It also reduces the eventual college tuition cost, because students can earn college credits even before they graduate high school.

Take Eleanor Robertson’s experience as an example.

Eleanor grew up in Ajo, a rural town in southwestern Arizona. She took dual enrollment courses online because her high school didn’t offer any.

She believes that helped her get accepted to the University of California, Berkeley, where she’s now a freshman. Plus, she feels it helped her prepare for the rigorous college coursework she’s now taking.

“Being in college and seeing the skill level that I’m expected to work at, I can’t imagine where I would be if I hadn’t taken those courses,” Eleanor said. “It would be very difficult.”

Bill would add, sustain college-level classes

The challenge before us is to remove barriers so that more students from all across Arizona can access dual enrollment.

A bill in the state Legislature would do just that.

Senate Bill 1717 seeks to expand access to dual enrollment programs, especially for low-income students who have some of the lowest participation rates.

The bill would allocate $15 million to help students pay for the courses, with priority given to those who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The bill would also incentivize high schools to offer these college-level courses through a $5 million fund; then shift to ensure teachers and schools not only continue to provide students access to these courses, but ensure they complete them as well.

This comes at a time when our research shows nearly half of high schools in Arizona don’t have dual enrollment programs.

Arizona dual enrollment lags many states

We also must recognize teachers for their extra work in preparing students for colleges and careers.

With this bill, teachers who earn their certification and teach the courses would get a one-time bonus of up to $1,000 each.

Dual enrollment programs are growing exponentially across the United States.

The most recent national data indicates that roughly 1 in 3 students take at least one dual enrollment course before completing high school.

That’s not happening in Arizona. Our research shows it’s 1 in 4 students and participation hasn’t improved much since 2017.

Highest-ranked high schools: Found in Arizona's wealthier areas

We need to change that, especially if we want to reach the ambitious Achieve60AZ goal to get 60% of working-age adults in Arizona to hold a college degree, certificate or license by 2030.

Right now, that stands at 48%.

It's time to make this critical investment

Businesses are paying close attention to these numbers, especially as our state’s economy is drawing more high-paying jobs in technology, research and innovation. Those jobs will require a more educated workforce.

But it’s possible they’ll be out of reach for many Arizonans, given that fewer than 17% of current ninth graders are expected to earn a bachelor’s degree by 2029.

What’s more, our state faces an annual shortfall of more than 26,300 bachelor’s degrees between now and 2029.

Efforts to increase postsecondary participation and attainment must start before students even reach college.

Increasing access to dual enrollment through SB 1717 is a bedrock strategy to achieve that.

The bill passed the Senate with strong support and will now be part of budget discussions. The provisions of SB 1717 mirror Gov. Katie Hobbs’ fiscal 2024 budget priority around dual enrollment.

It’s imperative that we come together to approve this dual enrollment package so that more students have access to these critical courses that set them up for success in college and beyond.

Vince Roig is founding chairman of Helios Education Foundation's board of directors. Paul Luna is president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. On Twitter: @HeliosEdFnd.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dual enrollment boosts college success. But few in Arizona sign up