An Overview of Dual Enrollment Policies in Three Southern States: Describing the Rural Dual Enrollment Landscape

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Bibliographic Details
Title: An Overview of Dual Enrollment Policies in Three Southern States: Describing the Rural Dual Enrollment Landscape
Language: English
Authors: Kianna Medina, Julie Edmunds, Rachel Rosen, MDRC, National Rural Higher Education Research Center
Source: MDRC. 2025.
Availability: MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305C240065
Document Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Rural Education, Dual Enrollment, High School Students, College Credits, Student Participation, Outcomes of Education, Educational Policy, State Policy, Policy Analysis, Rural Population, State Legislation, State Aid, Eligibility, School Statistics, Accountability
Geographic Terms: Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee
Abstract: A core study by the National Rural Higher Education Research Center, led by MDRC, is exploring the role of dual enrollment in expanding college access in rural settings. Dual enrollment gives high school students the opportunity to take courses offered by a postsecondary institution and to earn transcripted college credit upon successful completion of those courses. The study will look at rural areas across three Southern states--Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee--and use state-level data to examine participation rates and outcomes for students taking dual enrollment courses. The study will also collect survey and interview data to look at the goals for dual enrollment and the factors associated with implementing high-quality dual enrollment programs in rural areas. This brief--the first of several publications related to this study--presents a detailed overview and comparison of each state's dual enrollment policies. This summary and analysis establishes a foundational understanding to inform the upcoming study, and is illuminating in its own right by highlighting ways in which state dual enrollment policies may align or differ. The brief draws from a review of research literature and policy documents and conversations with state-level partners.
Abstractor: ERIC
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678136
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:A core study by the National Rural Higher Education Research Center, led by MDRC, is exploring the role of dual enrollment in expanding college access in rural settings. Dual enrollment gives high school students the opportunity to take courses offered by a postsecondary institution and to earn transcripted college credit upon successful completion of those courses. The study will look at rural areas across three Southern states--Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee--and use state-level data to examine participation rates and outcomes for students taking dual enrollment courses. The study will also collect survey and interview data to look at the goals for dual enrollment and the factors associated with implementing high-quality dual enrollment programs in rural areas. This brief--the first of several publications related to this study--presents a detailed overview and comparison of each state's dual enrollment policies. This summary and analysis establishes a foundational understanding to inform the upcoming study, and is illuminating in its own right by highlighting ways in which state dual enrollment policies may align or differ. The brief draws from a review of research literature and policy documents and conversations with state-level partners.