Toward a More Perfect Union or Another Neoliberal Project? Examining Dual Enrollment Policy Rationales

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Toward Critical Enactments of Democratic Citizenship Education

Abstract

As the rise of right-wing populism threatens American democracy, it is critical to interrogate the role of schooling and the goals that drive education reform. This study pursues this line of inquiry through the lens of dual enrollment (DE), an increasingly popular form of college-level coursework for high school students. Using discourse analysis of state-level policy documents and Labaree’s (1997) three educational goals (democratic equality, social efficiency, and social mobility), we examine the rationales for offering DE. Findings indicate the aims of DE are depicted almost entirely in economic terms. We argue this narrow framing limits the potential benefits of DE and we highlight its democratic possibilities.

Authors

• Julia Cassman Duncheon, University of Washington

• Dustin Hornbeck, The University of Memphis