Career-Oriented Dual Enrollment in Tennessee: Counselor and Student Perspectives on Technical College Dual Enrollment

• In Event: Understanding the Long-Run Effects of Career and Technical Education: An Examination of Impact, Mechanism, and Implementation

Abstract

Intro/Background:Dual enrollment is one of the most prominent strategies for increasing postsecondary readiness and participation among high school students in the U.S. Most empirical research examines dual enrollment as it is commonly implemented through community colleges and four-year institutions, focusing on academic general education courses such as English Composition or College Algebra. Considerably less attention has been paid to dual enrollment offered through technical colleges, which often emphasize competency-based programs aligned to high-wage, high-demand occupations.  Tennessee presents a salient policy context for examining technical dual enrollment. State initiatives such as the Dual Enrollment Grant and Tennessee Promise have expanded access to college coursework, while targeted investments in career and technical education (CTE) have increased capacity within Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs). As a result, dual enrollment participation at TCATs has grown substantially, creating a need to understand how students learn about these opportunities, how counselors advise them, which barriers may limit equitable participation, and what, if any, effects TCAT dual enrollment has on students’ self-efficacy and postsecondary identities.

Research Questions:This paper answers the following research questions: What practices are programs using to recruit, enroll, and support students in TCAT dual enrollment? What strategies are being used to encourage equitable student participation in dual enrollment for all students, particularly marginalized students? What challenges do students, particularly marginalized students, face in enrolling and completing these courses? What advising models work best for TCAT dual enrollment students and specifically for underrepresented students (e.g., students with IEPs, economically disadvantaged students, 9th grade students), and how can they be scaled? Is TCAT dual enrollment changing how high school counselors advise students for participation in dual enrollment? What is the relationship between enrollment and intensity of TCAT dual enrollment and student experience, including curriculum engagement and belief in the ability to succeed in postsecondary education? 

Methods:This mixed-methods study collected findings from focus groups of high school counselors and statewide surveys of high school counselors and students currently enrolled in TCAT coursework to better understand the barriers, goals, and experiences of students taking TCAT dual enrollment.  

Results/Findings:Findings illustrate four major themes: (1) high schools vary widely in recruitment models and partnership structures with TCATs, shaping who enrolls in technical dual enrollment and when; (2) while counselors value technical dual enrollment as a viable pathway, access is unevenly distributed due to assumptions about 'fit,' structural barriers, and program capacity; (3) advising for TCAT dual enrollment requires earlier and more intensive support than counselors typically provide for academic dual enrollment; and (4) students and counselors report clear positive effects on student self-efficacy, postsecondary identity, and college-going behaviors.

Conclusion:CTE-focused dual enrollment represents a promising but understudied pathway that expands postsecondary options beyond traditional academic routes. In Tennessee, TCAT dual enrollment offers opportunities for credential attainment, workforce preparation, and increased postsecondary self-efficacy. Ensuring equitable access will require addressing structural barriers, strengthening advising infrastructure, and integrating technical dual enrollment into broader higher education research and policy.

Author

• Easton Stone Dawson, Vanderbilt University
  Presenting Author