Dual enrollment through community colleges has surged 38% since 2022, with some students completing entire associate degrees at no cost while still attending high school.
In a news release, the Alabama Community College System announced an 18% increase in dual enrollment registrations for the 2024-25 school yea. Dual enrollment offers sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school the opportunity to earn college credit.
Students participating in the program take academic and technical college-level courses that count towards both high school and college degrees, according to the ACCS estimates that more than 40,000 public, private and homeschooled high school students took dual enrollment classes through Alabama community colleges during the 2024-25 school year. Students enrolled in more than 1,000 courses and completed a total of 295,266 credit hours. They earned over 1,500 credentials. An additional 143 students earned an associate’s degree. More than 8,200 of students in the program enrolled at a four-year university during the academic year. Moreover, dual enrollment growth accounted for a 3.1% increase in undergraduate enrollment at four-year public universities,Pass rates for foundational courses ranged from 86% to 94%. Career and technical courses showed similar success, with welding technology programs reaching a pass rate of 94% to 95%. Many students also pursued credentials in Advanced Manufacturing, EMS and Office Administration, according to ACCS. The community college system served more than 2,500 high school students who would not have qualified for dual enrollment elsewhere. Community colleges can lower the grade point average requirements for students in career and technical education programs through GPA waivers. The waivers cannot be applied to transfer courses. Rural students made up 46% of ACCS dual enrollment participants, slightly exceeding the 42% of Alabama’s population living in rural areas. These students earned about half of all dual enrollment credit hours. Students received nearly $40 million in scholarships from the state-supported Career and Technical Dual Enrollment Scholarship program and college programs. The average tuition rate for ACCS dual enrollment students is $24 per credit hour, and some students can complete an entire associate degree at no cost.Diane Mwai is a trending news reporter for AL.com based in Birmingham, Alabama. She has worked social media, breaking news, and Birmingham metro.
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