THE CHANGING POLICY FRAMEWORK OF DUAL ENROLLMENT

Jad H. Khazem
University of Virginia
Hassan A. Khazem
Nova Southeastern University
ABSTRACT
Florida’s two largest accelerated learning programs by enrollment size – dual enrollment
and Advanced Placement (AP) – each have their own share of strengths. Both programs offer
students the opportunity to earn postsecondary education credit while still in high school.
Nevertheless, recent studies which have compared the two programs have identified superior
structural advantages possessed by the dual enrollment program. Likewise, the findings of this
study indicate that dual enrollment has a more positive impact on a traditional public school’s
“school grade” (Florida’s annual student achievement-measure) than does the AP program.
Assuming static current program success rates, C-rated schools (characterized by accelerated
learning student participation rates which mirror state averages) experience an entire letter grade
increase upon only a slight boost in their dual enrollment program participation rate. Conversely,
those same schools cannot achieve a letter grade increase even after enrolling their entire student
bodies in the AP program – again assuming static program success rates.
This study also reveals that the funding arrangement for the dual enrollment program is
significantly less favorable than that which exists for the AP program – a problem which was
exacerbated by the Florida Legislature’s controversial changes to the program in Senate Bill (SB)
1514. This study concludes by highlighting proper measures that policymakers should adopt in
order to preserve and promote dual enrollment statewide in the aftermath of SB 1514.