This study examined the cost effectiveness of three early college programs in Rhode Island: dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and Advanced Placement (AP). Each program had a positive effect on participants' enrolling in college within one year of high school graduation, persisting to a second year of college, and starting at a four year…

These are the appendixes for the report, "The Cost-Effectiveness of Providing Early College Programs in Rhode Island." Many states now offer high school students the opportunity to earn credit toward a high school diploma and a postsecondary degree simultaneously, with the aim of improving their college readiness and on-time college…

The problem addressed in this study was that low-income, high-achieving students have lower success rates in higher education institutions socially and academically compared to students of higher-income status regardless of academic ability. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to investigate how low-income students who excelled in high…

Idaho's dual credit programs, with a unique state funding model under Advanced Opportunities, have seen substantial growth in student usage in recent years. WICHE analyzed six key topics related to the state's dual credit model: (1) Fiscal impact of using Advanced Opportunities funds for dual credit students specifically; (2) Number of credits…

Hispanic students are the most likely out of all racial or ethnic groups to be first-generation college students (FGCS). Hispanic FGCS have been shown to be the least likely to persist out of all racial or ethnic backgrounds. However, there is little literature on this population. To address this, the present study investigated the association of…

Advanced coursework is one strategy education leaders and policymakers have used to improve academic performance and college readiness (Iatarola et al., 2011). Programs such as Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment provide students opportunities to earn college credit while in high school. Proponents of advanced coursework argue that…

For over a year, COVID-19 has disrupted all our lives, including our education system and the future for many Coloradans. Recovery from the pandemic is in sight, but Colorado's industries more than ever will depend upon postsecondary education to help produce the workforce needed in a changed environment and altered economy. It is vital to promote…

Educators and policymakers are keenly aware of the need to prepare students to compete in an increasingly global society. It is widely accepted that a high school diploma is not sufficient and that secondary schools have a responsibility to prepare students to be college and career ready. This study examined participation in a rigorous secondary…

Oregon has invested resources to expand access to accelerated learning programs (i.e., educational experiences that allow students to earn college credit in high school), and education leaders are committed to ensuring they are sustainable, equitable, and effective. Conducted in partnership with practitioners from secondary and postsecondary…

A key strategy for meeting Colorado's workforce needs is ensuring that Colorado's high school graduates are enrolling and succeeding in career-connected postsecondary education. According to Education Commission of the States, Colorado is one of only a few states that could, in theory, near its educational-attainment goals through increased…

Oregon's postsecondary attainment goal for 2025, adopted in 2011, calls for 40 percent of Oregon adults to have a bachelor's degree or higher, 40 percent to have an associate's degree or postsecondary certificate, and the remaining 20 percent to have a high school diploma or equivalent (S. 253, Or. 2011). As in other states a central strategy for…

Acceleration programs are academically challenging courses in which high school students can simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma and a postsecondary degree (dual credit). These programs include Advanced Placement courses, concurrent-enrollment courses, Postsecondary Enrollment Options courses (a dual-enrollment program in…

Acceleration programs are challenging courses in which high school students can simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma and a college degree (dual credit). This study examined participation rates in acceleration programs and early college outcomes for the 2011 cohort of Minnesota high school graduates. Nearly half the graduates…

The College and Career Readiness Expansion project was a five-year, federally funded effort to implement early college strategies in comprehensive high schools. This report presents the results from a quasi-experimental impact study of the project and a mixed methods examination of its implementation. Results showed that the program increased the…

This study was a cooperative effort of the Texas-ACT College Success Research Consortium, a research partnership between ACT and the following Texas four-year postsecondary institutions: (1) The University of Texas at Austin; (2) Texas A&M University at College Station; (3) Texas A&M University at Commerce; and (4) University of Texas--Pan…