Dual enrollment is a partnership between a community college and high school that allows students to take college courses on their high school campus while earning both college and high school credits. Thanks to new state legislation, both Hartnell College and Monterey Peninsula College have dramatically increased their partnerships with local high schools, the number of dual enrollment classes offered, and the number of students served. This dramatic expansion was made possible by commitment at the K-12 and community college levels to collaborate and share costs in order to expand access to more students.
Studies show that students who take on college courses while in high school are more likely to complete degrees and certificates in higher education — and in less time. Thriving dual enrollment programs throughout the country also indicate that early exposure to college and career options strengthens a student’s success in the classroom and beyond. This commitment by our local community colleges and the high schools they partner with to expand dual enrollment will expose more students to college-level coursework, allow students to earn college credit at no cost, and ultimately reduce the time and expense to complete a college degree.