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The access–success paradox and its resolution through embedded support infrastructure

Design · All designs
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The report names the access–success paradox: the assumption "that expanding access to more students who do not typically participate in advanced coursework must necessarily be accompanied by declining success, particularly for the students with the most to gain from expanded opportunity." Policy attention focuses on removing entry barriers while neglecting what enables enrolled students to succeed. OUSD's experience provides the report's answer: open-access dual enrollment can achieve equitable outcomes, but only when vague commitments to student support are transformed into concrete, systematic infrastructure—an embedded adult, continuous monitoring, proactive response to struggles, and structured communication between systems.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • Intentional, resourced support infrastructure embedded in course structure rather than offered as an external add-on service

Constraints

  • The report offers OUSD as an existence proof, "not a prescription to be replicated exactly"; support of this kind is described as not very affordable

Target Learners

  • High school students historically underserved in advanced coursework, including Black and Hispanic students, students with disabilities, and English Learners

Learning Goals

  • Equitable participation and success in college coursework while in high school

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Terrell, J. H., Mathias, J., Roldan-Rueda, D., & Blanchard, A. (2026). Making dual enrollment work: Solving the access–success paradox with OUSD’s point person model. WestEd. https://www.wested.org
Page metadata
Field Value
type design
id access-success-paradox-dual-enrollment
title The access–success paradox and its resolution through embedded support infrastructure
description The report names the access–success paradox: the assumption "that expanding access to more students who do not typically participate in advanced coursework must necessarily be accompanied by declining success, particu...
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-09
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — terrell-2026

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