The Institute of Education Sciences has released two new reports from the Regional Educational Laboratories (REL) program on accelerated college credit programs and college and career readiness.
Characteristics and postsecondary pathways of students who participate in acceleration programs in Minnesota
This REL Midwest study examined the 2011 cohort of Minnesota public high school graduates who participated in acceleration programs, which allow students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit for advanced coursework. Nearly half of graduates participated in at least one type of acceleration program, and of these participants, 24 percent participated in more than one type of program. Participants were disproportionately female, White, not eligible for the federal school lunch program, and high academic achievers. Only half of participants who enrolled in a Minnesota college within two years of graduation were awarded credit by their college of enrollment. Participants had better college outcomes than did nonparticipants, regardless of whether they were awarded college credit.
Earning college credits in high school: Options, participation, and outcomes for Oregon students
REL Northwest studied accelerated college credit options at public colleges in Oregon and the students who enroll in them. Oregon has many accelerated college credit options available through public colleges and higher rates of community college dual credit participation than the national average. But the cost, eligibility requirements, and geographic coverage of these options vary greatly across institutions. Community college dual credit students are more likely to be White, female, high achievers, and not eligible for the federal school lunch program. Male students in all racial/ethnic groups participate in community college dual credit at lower rates than female students do, and in each racial/ethnic group the gender gap in participation is similar.
For more information, see https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=1464 and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=433
