Dual enrollment has become a powerful and increasingly common strategy for expanding opportunity in high school. When implemented well, it allows students to access higher-level academic coursework, earn college credit, and participate in specialized career and technical training that may not otherwise be available on a high school campus. For districts, dual enrollment can strengthen postsecondary readiness, improve time to degree, and create more seamless pathways between K-12, higher education, and workforce systems.

At the same time, dual enrollment courses are fundamentally different from traditional high school classes. Expectations, pacing, grading policies, academic stakes, and support structures often mirror those of higher education rather than K-12. Without intentional advising and clear guardrails, students may enter dual enrollment unprepared for these shifts, risking academic setbacks that can follow them into their postsecondary record and undermine their confidence in succeeding in postsecondary education.

For district leaders, counselors, and CTE educators, the goal is not simply to expand access, but to ensure students are fully informed, placed appropriately, and supported consistently in understanding both the benefits and the responsibilities that come with dual enrollment. As schools and districts advise students and families, the following questions can help guide more intentional, student-centered decision-making.

Key Questions for Schools and Districts to Consider

Do students and families fully understand the logistical and structural differences of dual enrollment courses?

Dual enrollment often introduces expectations that differ significantly from the traditional high school experience. These may include transportation to a college campus, asynchronous or hybrid course formats, different academic calendars, accelerated timelines for assignments and finals, and college-level policies related to attendance and late work. Clear communication about these shifts is essential before students enroll.

Do students understand the potential impact of dual enrollment courses, both positive and negative, on their postsecondary plans?

While dual enrollment can provide valuable college credit and academic momentum, it also creates a permanent college transcript. Poor performance or course failure can affect future financial aid eligibility, transferability of credits, and admissions outcomes. Students should understand how dual enrollment grades factor into GPA calculations, transcript reviews, and long-term academic planning.

Are dual enrollment opportunities being intentionally extended to CTE students, not only high-achieving academic students?

Dual enrollment is often positioned primarily for top-performing, college-bound students. However, many CTE pathways are well aligned with dual enrollment opportunities that lead to industry credentials, certificates, or applied associate degrees. Districts should examine whether outreach, advising, and eligibility criteria are designed to equitably connect CTE students to these options.

Do students have opportunities to pair dual enrollment with work-based learning experiences?

Dual enrollment is most effective for workforce readiness when paired with internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, or clinical experiences. Districts should consider whether students can apply college-level learning in authentic workplace settings while still in high school. Some internship opportunities, particularly in medically related fields, include regulatory or minimum age requirements for participation.

Does the school or district provide structured academic monitoring and support for students enrolled in dual enrollment courses?

Once students enroll, districts should consider how progress is monitored and how intervention occurs if a student begins to struggle. Unlike high school courses, college instructors may not proactively communicate concerns. Systems for early alerts, tutoring access, counselor check-ins, and coordinated support can be critical to student success.

Are counselors and educators aligned on how dual enrollment fits within a student’s broader academic and career pathway?

Dual enrollment should not exist in isolation. Counselors, CTE teachers, and administrators benefit from shared guidance on how dual enrollment courses align with graduation requirements, career pathways, industry certifications, and postsecondary goals. Alignment helps ensure dual enrollment accelerates, broadens, or deepens students’ long-term plans rather than complicating them.

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Building Effective Dual Enrollment Systems

Dual enrollment has a strong track record of benefiting many students, but not all. Its impact is determined less by access alone and more by the systems that surround it. When districts approach dual enrollment with a coordinated strategy rather than as a standalone opportunity, it becomes a powerful mechanism for expanded opportunity, postsecondary success, and workforce readiness.

For counselors, CTE educators, and administrators, this means moving beyond course availability to focus on placement, preparation, and sustained support. Clear communication with families and students, aligned advising across academic and career pathways, and proactive monitoring help ensure students are not only enrolling in dual enrollment courses, but also succeeding in them. Equally important is viewing dual enrollment through a workforce lens that prioritizes meaningful credentials, work-based learning, and alignment with regional labor market needs.

As dual enrollment continues to expand, districts have an opportunity to strengthen how these programs serve students with diverse goals, backgrounds, and postsecondary plans. Analyzing the achievement patterns of dual enrolled students within and across schools in the district provides valuable insight into how best to guide future enrollees. By grounding decisions in thoughtful questions and shared responsibility, schools can ensure dual enrollment functions as a true bridge connecting high school to college, careers, and long-term readiness.

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