UCLA

Dual enrollment allows high school students to participate in college courses, earning both high school and college credits. Although many high schools offer dual enrollment to all students, past research has demonstrated a significant gap in the participation of low-income students and students of color compared to their White and Asian counterparts (e.g., Friedmann et al., 2020). This study aims to understand the promising practices of one dual enrollment program that has a record of success in promoting the participation of Black and Brown students. Interviews were conducted with nine key program leaders—four from the high school partner and five from the community college partner.Interviews focused on key factors contributing to the program’s success, specific efforts to promote equitable access (including support for Black and Brown students), and challenges related to the program implementation. The study participants highlighted three factors that program staff felt were important to the program’s success: the enrollment of students in a College Success Course, the implementation of an online asynchronous model, and the presence of passionate personnel. The program has advanced equity by removing barriers to participation in dual enrollment, creating a college-sending culture, and prioritizing representation. Finally, the interviews revealed specific challenges arising in the collaboration between the two education systems: a technological divide and union oversight. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that the program implement a hybrid in-person/online model, expand opportunities for high school teachers to teach college-level courses, and strengthen collaboration between the participating colleges and high school districts. Given the many known benefits of dual enrollment, institutions must be intentional about ensuring equitable access to these opportunities. This study seeks to advance this goal by presenting lessons learned by the staff of one dual enrollment program that has been successful in promoting the participation of Black and Brown students.