Student and Educator Perceptions of the Value of Dual-Credit Courses

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Student Transitions and Postsecondary Pathways

Abstract

Dual-credit has been widely recognized in the literature as an effective strategy for promoting smoother and faster pathways into and through college [1-3]. However, less research has examined how schools have implemented dual-credit offerings or the value that students and educators ascribe to them. Drawing on quantitative data from Texas’s statewide longitudinal data system and grounded in situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT), we have conducted site visits at 3 Texas high schools, where we held focus groups with students (n=26), and educators (n=14). Additional site visits are planned at 10 more schools in Fall 2025. Preliminary observations reveal that students see value in their dual-credit experiences and believe that dual-credit reduces long-term costs, but the short-term costs are substantial.

Authors

• Madison E. Andrews, University of Texas at Austin

• Kait Ogden, University of Texas at Austin

• Matthew S. Giani, University of Texas at Austin