Leading and Partnering for Excellence and Equity in Dual Enrollment

Even as enrollments across higher ed have dropped, with the most marked decreases in the community college sector, dual enrollment has grown. In fact, at community colleges, dual enrollment is the only growing student population. There’s good reason for this, from the college, K-12 system, student, and community perspective.

Through dual enrollment, colleges can: 
  • Increase revenue and enrollment
  • Fulfill performance funding targets and K-12 accountability metrics 
Communities can:
  • Increase college attainment
  • Close equity gaps in college attainment
  • Meet workforce needs and expand the talent pool 
And by working together, colleges and K-12 partners can:
  • Provide high school students advanced curricula
  • Introduce college-level expectations early
  • Help students increase sense of purpose by exploring potential programs of study
  • Reduce the time and cost of earning a college degree
  • Close equity gaps in all of the above 
We are excited to share a set of curricular materials that can help leaders prioritize and take action on dual enrollment.
What are the goals of this curriculum?
This content can help leaders and practitioners:

Explain:
  • The importance of excellence and equity in dual enrollment to the broader student success mission
  • The roles of senior leaders in achieving strategic and equitable impact through dual enrollment
  • The current state and context of dual enrollment at their colleges
  • How to build effective external partnerships with K-12 and other key stakeholders 
Develop a compelling vision for dual enrollment that will advance excellent and equitable student outcomes by:
  • Articulating the primary reasons dual enrollment matters for mission and business goals
  • Assessing reasons the strategy will appeal to internal and external stakeholders
  • Identifying priorities for improvement of college practice 
Develop a compelling value proposition for different audiences, including:
  • Institutional stakeholders (senior team, faculty, board, etc.)
  • Superintendents and high schools
  • Community (including families, prospective students, employers)
  • Legislators/governors 
How to use this curriculum?
This set of curricular materials has been tailored for two groups:
  • Leading for Excellence and Equity in Dual Enrollment is for community college leaders
  • Sharing a Vision for Dual Enrollment is for partner groups made up of community college and K-12 leaders
The sample agendas embedded in the guides assumes one full day session or two half-day sessions, conducted either in-person or virtually.The curriculum includes research, videos, and examples to inform the discussion plus prompts and exercises to deepen engagement.

Each version of the curriculum, colleges only and colleges with K-12, includes:
  • A Participant Guide
  • A Facilitator Guide
  • A PowerPoint deck that can be used for curriculum delivery, small group activity directions, and suggested times 
Access the curriculum
Leading for Excellence and Equity in Dual Enrollment (for community college leaders) 
Sharing a Vision for Dual Enrollment (college and K-12 partner groups)
The development of these curricular resources was made possible by generous support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Contact us for more information.
Millicent Bender, Director