Policy in Practice: Rural Perspectives on Dual Credit Access and Outcomes in Kentucky

• In Event: Navigating the College Transition: Evidence on Counseling, School Resources, and Student Outcomes

Abstract

At a time when states are seeking to expand equitable pathways to postsecondary education, Kentucky has developed one of the most comprehensive dual credit policy frameworks in the nation. Dual credit—courses through which high school students earn both secondary and college credit—has become a cornerstone of the state’s college readiness and access strategy, emphasizing consistent academic standards, guaranteed credit transfer, and affordability.This policy context is particularly consequential for students in Kentucky’s rural schools, where geographic isolation, limited access to advanced coursework, and resource constraints often restrict college preparation opportunities. Dual credit partnerships help bridge these gaps by providing local access to college-level instruction and reducing the need for travel or relocation. Yet, despite the policy’s promise, little is known about why and how rural students engage in dual credit programs or how local contexts shape their participation and outcomes. This exploratory qualitative study addresses that gap by examining the motivations, decision-making processes, and experiences of rural students participating in dual credit.We conducted interviews with superintendents from rural districts across Kentucky to understand district-level perspectives on dual credit implementation, access, and equity. Building on these insights, we carried out site visits in a subset of districts, engaging in interviews and focus groups with counselors, administrators, teachers, and students. This multi-level qualitative design provides a nuanced view of how policy, institutional capacity, and individual agency interact to shape rural students’ engagement with early postsecondary opportunities.Findings revealed that students and counselors strategically maximized available funding to enroll in both career and technical education (CTE) and academic dual credit courses from two- and four-year colleges, often with the goal of reducing the cost and time to a college degree. While participants recognized the financial value of this approach, they also raised concerns about variability in course quality and the extent to which students were prepared for college-level expectations. Teachers noted particular challenges for students who completed most general education requirements in high school and entered college as juniors, facing upper-division coursework without the typical first-year transition and support. These findings highlight the need to balance affordability and acceleration with attention to instructional quality, student readiness, and the developmental experience of early college participation. The study contributes new insight into how state policy translates into practice in rural contexts and offers implications for designing dual credit systems.

Author

• Andrea Phillips, RAND Corporation
  Presenting Author