Understanding the Link Between Dual-Enrollment Partnership Characteristics and Outcomes

• In Event: Expanding Access: The Implementation and Effects of College Access and Retention Initiatives

Abstract

Dual enrollment offers high school students the opportunity to earn college credits. In this study, we explore how interorganizational—i.e., partnership-level—characteristics relate to aggregate DE student outcomes, which stands to inform decision-making and priorities among DE school-college partners. We use statewide administrative data from Texas to identify DE students; we construct partnership-level metrics and outcomes for each unique pairing between traditional public high schools and public two-year colleges and examine student success in each DE partnership. We find substantial variation in the partnership characteristics across partnership contexts, including the extent to which they offer in-person coursework in rural and urban contexts, with important implications for aggregate student outcomes.

Authors

• Lauren Schudde, University of Texas at Austin

• Kimberly Pack-Cosme, University of Texas at Austin

• Wonsun Ryu, University of Texas at Austin